


Two Reporters and One Sym

by Number1120



Category: Marvel, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Daily Bugle, Fanfiction, Feels Train, Fights, Gen, Love, M/M, New York City, Protective Eddie Brock, Protective Venom Symbiote (Marvel), Reporters, What Have I Done, happiness, heartbreaks, my little au, peter doesn't know tony stark, symbrock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-08-29 10:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 39
Words: 104,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16742467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Number1120/pseuds/Number1120
Summary: Eddie Brock and Venom are in New York City to do a report on Spider-Man, and J. Jonah Jameson partnered them up with Peter Parker. At first, they don't know what to think of the kid, but, after awhile, they want him around, but it's only a matter of time before one of them screws up and they end up fighting for approval, loyalty, and protection of one over the other.





	1. New York Reporters

After months of living together, and Eddie’s reporting and stories hitting the ratings of the company, his boss assigned him the greatest story of the them all: Finding the Spider in the Big Apple. Of course, when he heard he got the story and pitch, he was more than excited to go to New York, and this was a great way for his headache to see more of the world and what it has to offer for them. Plus, this was a great way to experiment on Venom with two blue knock-out-pills for the plane to see if it affects him.

            **We’re going _where_?** An excited yet terrified voice said behind his eyes.

            “The Big Apple, the town that never sleeps, the Make-It-Anywhere-City—New York City, New York,” Eddie repeated himself again after folding another grey sweatshirt in his duffle bag. “We’re going to be there for the week at an old friend’s place. I have a report to do, and this report,” a big grin crossed Eddie’s face after checking the hall mirror one last time before heading towards the airport. “ _This_ report will get me a raise if we play our cards right, buddy,” Eddie said as he locked the door and slid the key under the floor pot by Mr. Nixon from 19G.

            He needs this story. He was able to find a better apartment in the building, one without noisy neighbors and a Jesus freak across the hall. It looks like the one he has now, but this one has a heater the works and the water runs right. To add on the location, the room was on the second floor. He saw this as a plus because it could allow him ten minutes of extra sleep, and allowed Venom to sneak in and out easier. The apartment building itself wasn’t a home or a fancy house like the one he was in before, but it was what they made it. Besides, some of the neighbors are polite and the kids love him. The third floor have the nicer ones who loves everyone in the building.   

            He was on the third floor when he was stopped by a sharp but cheerful, “Mr. Brock!”

            Eddie held on the railing tightly, his eyes darting at the hall clock. He has five minutes before the Uber would come, and he was going to tell the property owner what day their return. Eddie looked over his shoulder, thinking it might be the old lady with the bird feeders out the window, and Venom wants to eat them one day for complaining about their host sweating and how they were “emotionally” eating too much. What does she know about Eddie, anyways? Who would miss the old hag? Her cats? This is when Eddie reminds Venom that the people here worry about them, and the old lady was the one who makes the fudge brownies for Christmas.

Nevertheless, his hand relaxed when he saw Elizabeth Dawn from apartment 7D, Lizzy for short. Her bright brown eyes shined under the dim lights in the hall, her smile like the sun, showing off her missing front tooth, and her dark brown hair tied back in braided pigtails, with dark blue ribbons to match her blue knee-high dress with white pock-o-dots, which matched her light brown skin. She waved from her mother’s side, and looked up at her mother before she ran to meet him.

            They have a special spot for this kid, Eddie and Venom. When Venom first met her after taking over, they were at a drug store, and she was with her mother. Lizzy, before the police sirens grew closer to the ran-down store, stopped Venom, singing in a kind voice, “Thank you, Mr. Monster!” Then gave them the biggest, happiest smile.

            **She is small and weak. Anything bigger than a ten-year-old could easily harm her. We must protect her.**

            “Okay, buddy,” Eddie responded as they flee from the scene. “Just don’t eat in front of her.”

            Eddie slumped his bag to the ground and crouched down to meet her height, Venom having them open their arms for a hug. They picked her up, her giggling joyfully, and then placed her down again. “Hey, Lizzy. How was your spelling test last week? I know you were worried about it.”

            “It was good!” She responded happily as she dug in her pocket to pull out a folded piece of paper. She handed it to them, saying, “Look, Mr. Brock! I didn’t get any of them wrong! See?” Her finger pointed by her scribbled name. “See? I got a gold star!”

            “That’s awesome, Lizzy!” They responded as Eddie ruffled her hair. “I told you that you could do it.” He handed back the paper, keeping the proud smile on their face.

            “Where are you going?” Her eyes lingered at the bag curiously. “Are you going camping? Mama says we could go camping with Grandpa Charlie once he gets better in the hospital. Are you going camping?”

            They shook their head. “No, Lizzy, I’m going to New York Cit—“

            “New York City?” Her eyes widen at the very mention of the name. He didn’t even finish it and she already knew what was happening. “Wowie! That’s a big city! Like, it’s the biggest city it the world!” Her arms stretched to the ceiling then came back down, cocking her head like a confused puppy. “Why?”

            Eddie looked at the clock, around the hall, and then beckon her to come closer. She gasped excitedly as she lean forward. “I’m going to try to catch Spiderman for a report,” she almost shouted for the whole world to see until he said, “It’s a secret. Top Secret. No one should know this, not a soul.”

            She stepped back and crossed her heart with her right hand while she used her left to show her zipping her lips and acting as if she was throwing away the key. “I promise.”

            They nodded at her approvingly. “Thanks, kid.”

            **We should get her something.**

_Agree._

“Do you want anything while we’re gone?” Eddie asked.

            She rocked back and forth on her heels, her hands fidgeting between their grips. “If it’s not much of a problem, could you bring me back a stuffed kitten with the ‘I Heart N.Y.’ shirt? It’s at this store call ‘Purr-fections’.” Her eyes bright a bit more when she explained, “When you buy a stuff kitten there, the money goes to help stray animals. I saw it in class, and Ashely has one, and they’re so cute!” Her smile showed all of her teeth and missing tooth, and, of course, how could they say ‘no’ to that face?

            After seeing the clock and realizing how much time he has left, Eddie stood up and his hand grasped the bag. “We can do that,” he promise. “I’ll bring it back.” He turned and head back down, calling up, “See you next week, Lizzy!”

            “Wait, Mr. Brock!” Lizzy called as she raced after them down the steps. When both were on the first floor and Eddie with the owner—who’s a dumbass with shit for brains—she hugged their legs tightly, before racing off, running backwards, waving, “Good-bye!”, as she disappeared up the steps again.

            Bradly looked jumbled a look that made him look more stupid, and Eddie responded, “Don’t ask. It’s a kitten, and she’ll get one. Not real, fake.” He gave his slip, saying, “I’ll be back around Tuesday night unless something happens.”

            Bradly shrugged carelessly as he stuffed his fat hands in his pockets, mumbling, “Whatever.”

            Eddie hurried out the door and found his Uber for the airport. He didn’t have time for Bradly’s stupidity and, he knew if he stayed around loner, Venom might’ve had a snack. Bradly was a bad guy, he’ll give him that, but there were sometimes he was good. About three months ago, there was an old couple living on the seventh floor who couldn’t walk down the steps anymore. Upon hearing this, Bradly took it among himself to move the couple on the first floor, trading with the Johnsons in 1B, and let the Johnsons have free rent for the rest of the year to give the father enough time to find a job and pick their feet off the ground. Bradly is still a dumbass, but he doesn’t have a dumb heart.   

            He’s flew before, so has Venom, but Venom crashed landed and can’t do the jet engines. So, before the plane took off, eating a mugger in the back street, and finding his seat, Eddie pulled out two blue know-out pills, mumbling, “This should help us, bud. Just don’t freak out and don’t do anything dumb, okay?”

            A thin black thread slithered over his hand. **We do not promise anything, but… if it gets us there, then okay.**

Eddie knocked back the pills and sat comfortably in his chair by the window. His eyes weaved in and out, and they were asleep just as the plane took off.  

 *********************************

            Two days.

            It took them two days just to find the hot stop for great Spiderman pictures, and it also took two days to interview the report who snaps the phots of Spiderman at the Daily Bugle. To top it all off, no one in the city seems to know where this Purr-fections place sits. But, in the city, Eddie did smaller reports on the city’s homeless and how their mayor might be hiding the “funds” for a homeless shelter within their bank account. Besides the reports, Venom finds the city too loud during the day, but peaceful at night… and the burgers on the corner of Madison is delicious and meaty.

            Eddie sized up the building from the sidewalk and slid his pencil forward, sitting on his ear. “I got this, bud,” He pretended to say in the phone. “If I need you, I’ll call you.”

            **Copy.** Sadly, Eddie saw an image of an ‘okay’, but it was upside-down. Under deep chuckles, voice rumbled. **Got’em!**

Annoyed, he walked towards the door, rolling his eyes, saying in the phone, “No more memes for you, V.”

            He slid the phone back into his pocket and headed towards the elevator. It traveled for a while until it jerked to a halt for the door to open. As Eddie expected, the reporting room was busy with reports and last minute copies of headlines for tomorrow and the next day. Both young and old reports typed and spoke back and forth over the news and the stock market. Eddie fixed his plan grey button up before he made his way towards the head publisher’s office. On the glass door, it read “J. Jonah Jameson” in bold black. The white shades were drown down, but Eddie could still see inside, hearing the man yell at a group of men.

            **Reminds us of Boss Man, huh?**

Eddie gave a slight nod.

            **He might have one of us up his—**

The door flung open and a voice barked, “Now, get the hell out of my office and come back with a proper story!” The group rushed out of his room and he stood in front of them. His black here was flat, making his head look like a square, grey hair on the side. His black tie hung freely around his white long, button dress shirt, and his black dress pants had a fresh coffee stain on at the knee. From what they could tell, he was tall and might know how to throw a punch, but he could die easily from a heartache. His heavy eyes when he saw him and barked, “Who hell are you and why the hell are you here?”

            _Yep, he’s got one, V._

“Sir,” Eddie said respectfully. “I’m Eddie Brock. We spoke on the phone last night, and my boss in California might have called you this morning.” He straighten his back and he could feel Venom straighten his shoelaces.

            “Eh?”

            “We talked about the Spiderman photos and you went on a spiel about how he should be thrown in jail, sir,” Eddie said blankly.

            Jonah’s eyes widen in remembrance. “Yeah! I remember now!” His voice boomed as he stepped aside for him to enter his office. Eddie thank him as he shut the door behind him, Jonah saying, “I’m sorry, Mr. Brock. It’s not every day I get someone from California waiting to do a coast-to-coast report over a bug.” He sat behind his desk in a great leather armchair. “Take a seat. The kid’s on his way from school.” His head perked up and grunted after her took out a thick cigar from his desk. “Here he comes now.”

            Kid?

            **Kid?**

            _Kid? School?_

**What the hell is school? Is it like Lizzy’s but higher up? You told us it was illegal to promote child labor! Do you lie to use**

Before Edde cold ask what they were dealing with, Jonah stood up from his chair and was at his door in a flash. Tall, long legs—Eddie thought of a Daddy Long Leg, Venom rumbling a deep laugh in his head when he saw the image. “Parker! Get in here!” He barked.

            He left his door open and—just as he said—a kid rushed in the room. His hair was a fluffy brown and messy from the wind. His eyes were bright and hopeful, and the color was almost a perfect blue. His body was small, but he was tall—might be a senior in high school. His skin was kissed by a honey brown, which matched his hair nicely. His red and brown flannel hung open to show a yellow National Geographic’s Team League. His faded jeans hid the tongues of his shoes and belt under his shirt. His shoulders hung his backpack and a camera bag. “Hello, Mr. Jameson,” the boy said politely to his boss.

            His boss stood between him and Eddie as his hand pointed, “Parker, this this Eddie Brock. He’s doing a story and needs your help to find the bug of this city.”

            Parker’s eyes grew wide and stuck out his hand, joyfully saying, “Eddie Brock? As in the guy from ‘The Eddie Brock Show’?”

            **We like him.** The voice purred thoughtfully.

Eddie took his hand and gladly shook it. “The one and only, pal.”

            He looked up at his boss like a child would do when they’re at Disneyland for the first time. “Thank you, Mr. Jameson,” he said excitedly, but he kept it professional and cool.

            He rolled his eyes at the kid and left for his desk. “Just come back in five days with pictures, Parker, and a good story!”

            The kid turned back, nervously waving, saying, “You got it, Mr. Jameson! I’ll get you something good!”

            The door shuts behind them and they stood in the business of reporters.

            Eddie scratched the back of his head and took in a deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly as he crack an eye at the kid. Out of everything, it has to be a kid from high school, and, if he remembers anything about high school, he might feel like he has a bit more… power sounds like a good word, right? However, as they walked to the elevator together, and listing to the kid babble over different verity topics Eddie reported on and how much admiration he held in his eyes, they felt comfortable around the kid.    


	2. Milkshake Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Before I do any of my work, I grab a milkshake and a bag of m&ms."  
> ~Something my mother says before she starts anything that includes adulting or being a mother.

The first thing Peter thought of when he saw Eddie Brock— _The_ Eddie Brock in his boss’s office was to play it cool and not nerd over the greatest reporter to live in California. When he’s trying to write a school paper for Speech class or the traffic report for Mr. Jameson, he watches a report Eddie Brock did over exposing the hidden crimes and bravely calling out head officials on live T.V.—he’s a legend. His voice and passion over his reports is filled with passion and always smooth, even when he exposed to the Congressman about the loans he’s been giving to his mistress on live T.V. at the their speech addressing the ending of paid sex.

            The look on their face was _amazing._

Peter always imagined what it would be like to report by his side, but that was a dream to motivate him to work hard and get notice by the higher chairmen, not live it. A nerdy, perky, try-hard kid to be noticed all because he was able to get pictures of Spiderman and action shots—or selfies of himself. If he knew that his powers would land him a good—well, an okay paying job, he would have done this in his Freshman year.

            Shot after shot, his picture of a major action scene from fight a large lizard to a flying goblin, his pictures became front news in both black and white and color. There was something in this that made him famous either as Spiderman or as the brave photographer to get the breath taking shots. He would hold his head high when his picture was on the front page, and his name underneath made it better. Other kids at school giving him credit over his photos for the morning, but that changes after lunch when the jocks dump food on his clothes or lock him in the girls’ locker room during swim week.

            Besides the feeling of wanting to prove himself and the endless encouragement from his friends, he still felt alone. The photos of him and the bright smiles on children’s faces when they see him in uniform… he still felt alone. The Avengers notice and want him, but he’s “just a kid who needs more experience before he goes fighting real villains”.

            _Just tell me what it takes to be like you!_ He thinks as he watches the news over the team, wishing he were with them.

            His thoughts changed when he heard his boss say Eddie Brock needed help looking for Spiderman— _him!_

            When they stepped into the elevator, Peter call down to the first floor, and both stood against the wall. After passing the first three floors, Eddie asked, “Is your first name Parker, or is it something else? Not that Parker isn’t a good first name, it’s just,” Eddie rubbed the back of his neck, saying, “You don’t look like a Parker.”

            Taken back, Peter answered nervously, “No; it’s Peter. Parker is my last name.”

            Eddie nodded understandably. “Nice, nice; I respect that, kid.”

            Peter felt his blood freeze. Eddie Brock respects his last name. “Thank you, Mr. Brock—“

            Eddie put a hand up, saying, “You can call me Eddie, Peter.” He gave him a promising grin. “My father is ‘Mr. Brock’,” he joked.

            Peter chuckled along to make this easily for him. “So, um,” Peter spat. “Where do you want to start first? I have a good map of his hangouts and—”

            “Easy there, champ,” Eddie interrupted. “Before I do any of my reporting with a different person, I normally like to get to know them.” He shoved a hand in his pocket, saying. “Tell you what, find a good place for a snack and then we can go find the… ‘Bug’.” Then his eyes lingered to his backpack. “And, maybe go to your place to drop off a load. That bag look heavy.”

            “It just has a math book and my five other notebooks,” Peter shrugged. “This is normally the weight I carry.”

            “That’s still heavy, kiddo.” The doors open and they walked out together. “I never remember teachers giving so much homework in one night.”

            Once out in the city, Peter led the way through the crowds of people, cars, and bikes. The city was more peaceful today than normal, but it didn’t bother Peter that much because this meant he gets to be with Eddie more than fighting a villain with a lazar cannon. The city’s glow reflected off the windows from tall towers and speeding cars. One wrong step, the sun would blind you and a car could hit you.

            Peter weaved between the people until they were in the lower part of town, within his neighborhood, by a little café called “Greensburg’s Grub”. After school, every Friday, Peter comes there for a vanilla milkshake to celebrate another week of surviving school and the world; also, this is a good place to write reports over the weather for next week. The cozy shop was nuzzled between two ran-down apartments on a quiet street where old shops are empty but always filled with people. The shop’s once beautiful yellow beginning to chip away from the weather and storms, but the hanging flower pots by the door and small flower bed in front of the window makes the house smile. The faded Kelly green door, the dull silver doorknob, and the welcome mat welcomes any stranger who enters because there is a small silver bell over the door and a half-blind cat welcomes you.

            It’s a thirty-minute walk from work, but it’s worth the milkshake at the end. Peter opened the door and let Eddie enter first. Pickles, the grey and ever-so fluffy cat scammer towards the door and rubbed her head against Peter’s feet before turning on his back to have his belly scratched. Peter thinks Pickles was raised by dogs, but he loves the cat anyways. The shop smells like baked pizza, bread, and something sweet came from the back? Is it cupcakes? Peter smelled the air again and smiled. Yep, Mr. Russo’s cupcakes.

            The fan inside is spinning slowly over them. Four table sat in the middle of the room to seat four a piece, and along the walls, wooden booths pressed against each other’s back. On the walls, pictures of events around the build hung along with newspaper headings. Peter’s pictures of himself are on the wall flying through the air, and, he himself is on the wall for his high school winning at nationals. Over the racks and behind the counter, memories hang in happy frames. In one of the frames, there’s a picture of Peter’s parents holding his when he was a baby, and, of course, a small milk shake. Next to the photo, his aunt and uncle celebrating on Mr. Russo’s sixtieth birthday, and there’s a cake shaped like a milkshake in a colorful glass. And, a few pictures down, Parker is standing, smiling ear-to-ear, proudly holding his very first headlining photo of Spiderman, with a milkshake dazzled in silver sprinkles, and he was standing in front of the picture of his parents. The shop is normally busy with students working on projects, but, today, there was a couple in the back corner and Mrs. Edson at the forth table in the back, reading the newspaper, the radio playing softly from the kitchen.

            Peter led Eddie to the bar, sat the end by the front door, and slouched his backpack on the floor. Right as they did, Mr. Russo came out of the kitchen’s swinging doors. Mr. Russo is an Italian American, and he looks just as a person would think of when hearing the name Russo. Thin and bones with light brown skin, thick brown mustache covering his lips, dark brown eyes under black eyebrows, a faded red polo, brown pants, a faded egg white apron, and, of course, the News Boy hat (Peter gave it to him for Christmas to replace the hat before). The one thing setting Mr. Russo apart from every Italian American, was his incredible milkshakes and baking. Yeah, he makes French fries and chicken sandwiches, but everyone knows this is the place for cherry dream square dreams and perfect white milkshakes. Mr. Russo’s lived here all of Peter’s life, and, as long as Peter remembers, Mr. Russo’s always been there for him. On late nights writing a paper for English or the paper, rainy days after a fight, to his first date—Mr. Russo always had a milkshake ready for him.

            Mr. Russo smiles at the boys as Pickles jumped on Peter’s shoulder and sat comfortably. “Mr. Peter? Here, on a Thursday?” His frail voice cracked. “My, my, what class are we behind on? History? Science? Let the Lord forbid math.” He turned his back and brought up a tall, thick, icy glass for a classical milkshake. He leaned against the counter and smiled happily at him. “What will it be for today, young Parker?”

            Peter smiled at him brightly, chuckling, “No, I’m on top of my grades now, Mr. Russo.” He nudged a thumb at Eddie, saying, “We’re just looking for something to munch on before reporting a story.” Pickles rubbed his head against Peter’s neck, purring softly in their throat.

            Eddie reached a hand out and Mr. Russo took it. “Well, isn’t it the brave report from California, Eddie Brock,” Mr. Russo’s voice cracked. “Welcome to New York, Mr. Brock. I’m Michele Russo, the owner of this tiny shop.”

            Eddie gave a kind smile at the old man. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Russo. It’s a nice shop you got.”

            **We must protect this man and cat, Eddie. We like them.**

“What?”

            Eddie looked confused at Peter. “What?”

            Peter shook his, blinking his eyes. “Nothing. I thought I heard you say something else.”

            Mr. Russo leaned closer to Eddie, saying, “He hear things. You must excuse him from time to time.”

            “Oh.”

            Mr. Russo slid back up. “So, what will it be, boys?”

            “I’ll take a vanilla milkshake with the silver stars,” Peter said happily, his hand petting Pickles on the head. He glanced at Eddie, asking, “You?”

            **This place better have chocolate, Eddie.**

“The chocolate molt is really good,” Peter answer thoughtfully.

            **Whoa.**

Eddie gave a careless shrug. “I’ll take the molt then, Mr. Russo.”

            Mr. Russo nodded approvingly at them before turn with two large glasses and disappeared behind the swinging doors.

            Eddie glanced at Peter and asked while he played with a saltshaker. “Does everyone in New York know me?”

            Peter grinned goofily. “You did a report last month over rights for Italian Americans and how they differ in the east. After calling out the officials here, Mr. Russo got a tax cut and a better payroll for his business.” Eddie felt his cheeks turning hot. Not because he was impressed with the actions here, but he was able to change the system to better lives across the nation. “And you called our mayor a ‘pansy’, which he is,” Peter laughed.

            _Maybe this kid isn’t as bad as we thought, V._

**Maybe.**

Peter hurriedly looked over his shoulder at the back door confused.

            “You okay there, Peter?” Eddie asked. Peter continued to look at the door, his eyes scanning the room carefully. Venom could feel his heart rate speeding faster. “Kid?” Eddie tapped his shoulder, causing the young boy to jump to the ruff and back without leaving his seat. Both Eddie and Venom put up their hands and said, “Easy there, Pete. Everything’s fine. Just breathe for a sec and calm down. I can’t have our partner panicking every five minutes.”

            Peter let out a soft, tired sigh and gave a weak grin. “Sorry, Eddie. I heard that voice again from earlier and—” Peter stopped himself. “I sound like an idiot. Maybe I am crazy like the kids say—”

            Eddie—Venom, if he was honest—patted his shoulder, saying, “Crazy, kid, is the new norm. How do you think I do all of those reports? What I’ve learned through people and stranger, is that even the craziest person has the power to create the norm.”

            When he finished, Mr. Russo came out with two tall glass filled to the brim with fluffy whip cream, and the other one had silver speaks. “One vanilla milkshake with silver stars,” Mr. Russo carefully placed the glass in front of Peter. “And one molt with whip cream,” the other glass in front of Eddie.

            Mr. Russo stood back and nodded at the boys before leaving for the back.

            Pickles’ tail wrapped around Peter’s neck as it drifted off to sleep on his shoulder. “So, what’s with the cat?” Eddie asked after taking a drink of the molt.

            “Pickles is the store cat that Mr. Russo found one day,” Peter answers while stirring his milkshake to hide his stars. “One day, Pickles was sitting by a pickle box in the alley with a hurt eye as a kitten, that’s why he’s missing an eye. So, Mr. Russo took him about three years ago.” He thoughtfully scratched Pickles head while the cat slept. “I personal believe he was raised by dogs, really, but, sometimes, I think he’s part bird.”

            “How do we get the cat on the shoulder then?”

            “After you come here for a while, Pickles learns your scent and, well, he just sits,” he drunk his shake. “He’s really nice and super friendly.”

            Eddie grinned thoughtfully at the cat and thought about Lizzy. Lizzy always wanted a cat, but the owner says no to animals. Doesn’t make any since because he has a pet bird, and he wouldn’t get mad if Venom wanted to have a midnight feast on the bird. He drunk his molt thoughtfully as the radio played on in the shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this thing that I love and I think it's going good. I love writing this story, and you're going to love where it goes after this chapter. I hope y'al enjoy!


	3. How They Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though Eddie's gone, doesn't mean the Lizzy can't do things on her own including spying with her stuffed turtle named Mr. Turtle.

Lizzy sat at her desk, which was in front of the bedroom window, while she did her math homework. Two days has passed without seeing Mr. Brock. She enjoys seeing him when she walked home from the bus stop to meet him at the deli on Redbrick Road. They would walk home together, talking and about school and reports for the newspaper. Sometimes, he buys her a Ham and Swiss sandwich on Fridays if it was a rough day at work or the spelling test was not in her favor. If he wasn’t there, her mother was waiting for her at the stop and they would walk home without stopping for a sandwich.

It didn’t feel right for him to be gone for this long, but she knows it’s to better himself. At first, he didn’t want to talk to anyone in her apartment building, and he hardly left his apartment for anyone and anything. How they met was by her mother, and she was trying to carry a heavy bag full of cans by herself, up the steps. He was heading up the way things were, so he carried the bag for her to their cozy apartment. When he saw her, Lizzy was studying her first list of spelling words at the kitchen table.

"What ya got there?” He asked, his eyes gazing at the paper after setting down the bag on the counter.

She looked up at him, saying politely, “Mama says I’m not allowed to talk to strangers, mister.”

He chuckled amusingly to himself. “Well, I’m Eddie.” He held his hand and asked, “What’s yours?”

Not wanting to be rude, she took his hand and shook it. “I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me Lizzy.” They gave a serious nod at each other, the same nod that the boys in the schoolyard give to look cool. “My teacher wants my class to learn these spelling words and I don’t know if I can do it.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘can’t’, Lizzy,” Eddie said as he looked down at her list. He rolled up his sweatshirt sleeves and glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, Ms. Dawn? Mind if I stay a bit?”

“If you’re implying to help her with spelling,” she said as she began to put away the cans. “Then sure. I’ll make you a plate for dinner, Eddie.” She turned and opened the refrigerator to pull out chicken breast.

“Ms. Dawn, you don’t have to—”

The chick breast landed on the counter with a _thud_. “I said, Mr. Brock, that I am fixing you a plate for dinner,” her eye narrow, and Eddie could feel every sin began to crawl on his back, Venom hiding in the back of his mind scared. “And you’re going to like it.”

 He was going to protest again, but Lizzy tapped his arm shyly. “Don’t argue with her, Mr. Brock,” she whispered, her eye growing wide. “If you do, she might give you The Glare of Mothers.”

“What?”

She waited for her to leave for the bathroom to explain herself. “Every mother has this glare, Mr. Brock, which makes them dangerous. The Glare could suck the very soul out of you if you’re not careful.” She looked up at him and made sure they made eye contact. “I’ve seen it before in church. My pastor said something wrong during sermon and Mama did The Glare of Mothers at him, and, before anyone knew it, he passed out in where he stood. They had to do a preyer of forgiveness over him.” She faced her paper, asking, “So, how are you going to help me with spelling?”

That’s how their friendship started. A second grader and a reporter against the world on a Thursday night at the kitchen table, learning the new list of words, but there is no list this week for her second grade class because of a visitor tomorrow.

She finished her last math problem, put it away in her Iron Man backpack, and pulled out her colored pencils. NCIS is on in an half an hour, and she wasn’t in the mood to watch the news. She pulled out the colors carefully and began to draw a yellow house with a front yard, a driveway for her mother’s blue car, a purple mailbox, and a grey stripped kitten. Her mother always talked about a house by the ocean with a big enough backyard for her to play with a dog or a cat. They agreed to have a purple mailbox because the mailbox reminded Lizzy of the mailbox on Blue’s Clues.

Coloring under the dim light, she stopped for a moment and looked out her window. Something outside didn’t feel right to her. It’s like someone was watching her but focusing on something else. She felt dark eyes studying her and her picture, judging her picture and Iron Man backpack. Her classmates already make fun of her bag; she doesn’t need a stranger to do the same.

The sky was going to be asleep soon. The golden skies had thin pink clouds around this time of year. She saw small birds fly pass her window, and they were singing a song, a very happy song like a song her mother would sing to her if she had a nightmare. She could hear cars pass, and she could imagine a happy couple walking away from her cozy apartment. The street lamps should be lighting up soon and the night would be buzzing with life, crime, police, and the Demon of San Francisco.

It’s not really a demon. It’s more of a… large monster who is misunderstood for being a monster and just wants a hug. Yeah, that’s what it is. It hasn’t harmed anyone, but Lizzy knows it does kill people, bad people. Lizzy knows that the monster is a bit taller than Mr. Brock, maybe by a foot or two, and has large, thick, black arms and legs. The black monster has sharp claws and a million sharp teeth! The bright red tongue would come out once and awhile, making it look like a snake. It has a deep voice so deep that the ocean would be swallow whole without any help. Its voice could shake mountains and was the force of a thundercloud.

She met them once. Only once.

Her mother and Lizzy were at the drugstore down the street for milk and a frozen pizza when a robber came in. They pointed a gun at her mother, shouted at her to go to the back of the store and shut up, and he’ll deal with them later. Sure, Lizzy was scared, not because of the robber, no, she’s not scared of robbers; she dropped her bright pink turtle with a green and blue shell named Mr. Turtle. Mr. Turtle was by the chip holder and next to the robber’s boots. If he would have stepped on her turtle, Lizzy sworn she was going to fight him.

They waited in the back of the store while her mother continued to tell that ‘everything was going to be alright’ and ‘he wouldn’t hurt you, darling’. The robber cocked the gun back and shouted at the teenager to hurry up. That’s when the monster came. The lights flicked over their heads, guns shots echoing in her ear, the teenager screaming before passing out, a cart being knocked over, and Mr. Turtle was returned to her safely by a river of black ink. The ink didn’t stain her turtle, thankfully, and the river of ink disappeared under the isles. She saw the large shadow by the door and heard the sirens screaming towards the store.

Without thinking, Lizzy left her mother’s side, not caring if this… monster hurts her. They did save them from the robber, and they did save the teenager from losing their job. Clinching the turtle close to her chest, she raced towards the giant, spread her arms out, and yelled, “Wait! Don’t go yet.”

The monster, startled by surprised from her bravery, glanced down at her. **“We must leave, child.”** She nearly feel over at their voice. They were so _tall_.

They brushed past her quickly, but they were careful enough not to knock her down. They were up in the air when she called out, smiling brightly at the hero. “Thank you, Mr. Monster!”

The monster will always have a piece of her heart.

As she looked out her window, everything was the same. Nothing looks as if it changed besides the new green car across the street.

_“If you see anything that looks strange, remember, kid, you have every right to poke around until you get caught. If you get caught, poke even more until you learn more. Take it from ol’ Eddie.”_

She grasped Mr. Turtle and her shinny binoculars Eddie gave her during Christmas last year. He only told her to use them for problems like this one. Lizzy held up the binoculars and focused on the car in front of the apartment building. The apartment across the street is sold to a different place and they plan to tear it down. The meanest of the mean live there. Lizzy would bet Mr. Turtle that the man on the third floor with a dead eye killed a man or two.

“Okay, Mr. Turtle,” she whispered as if they were real spies on a mission. “Let’s get this bread.” She zoomed on the car and looked around. “Well, we’re ruling out that they’re a robber because the car is too bright, like, who buys a bright car?” Lizzy zoomed back and began to scan up the brick building. All of the blinds were closed except for the top floor on the right. “What in the world?”

The person—no, a man—wore dark jeans and a plain, dark red shirt with a leather jacket on, his dirty blond hair neatly combed back. His shoulders were bold and wide under the leather jacket. The stranger might have dark brown or blue eyes, but she wasn’t going to bet her math homework on it. His arms was crossed as his hard eyes glared at her building, chewing what looks like a tooth pick? Lizzy has to hand it to him on the Cool Scale for never seeing him before. Might be visiting a friend? No. No friend would visit in a driving a car like that.

She glanced quickly away from her binoculars at Mr. Turtle, whispering, “There’s a stranger, Mr. Turtle, but I never seen him before.” She placed her eyes back, spying carefully. “I wonder why he’s looking my home like that?” She pulled back and thought for a moment. “You think he killed someone?” She leaned back in, mumbling, “I really hope he hasn’t killed a man. Killing is bad. Like, very bad.”

Lizzy focused on the strange man. His lips was moving but she couldn’t make it out. He looks so focused, so serious on her build. His eyes were sharp as he glared at the building, but he was looking at one part of the building. A room. The only room that’s facing that corner belongs to… oh, no.

“Holy mother of Mary, Joseph, and sweet Jesus, Mr. Turtle!” she said in shock, nearly gasping. “He’s looking at Mr. Brock’s home! But,” she leaned on her desk, squinted her eyes in the binoculars, and breathed, “Why?”

Before she could find an answer, the person’s head snapped down at them, their hard and cold eyes glaring into her soul. She quickly pulled herself down from her binoculars, grasped her brave Mr. Turtle, and rushed out of her room, leaving the light on. Her mind was leaping to every worse image of the person kidnapping her, killing her, or shoving her in the ugly green car. Then she thought of her friend, Eddie, and the way the man was glaring sternly at his home. Before she goes to bed tonight, she has to make a call to him, warn him on the stranger.   

But, for now, maybe the news was not a bad idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted y'all to get to know Lizzy a bit more. She's a great kid, and she'll be important later on in the story.


	4. The Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's trouble at the bridge, so Spider-Man is on the case! But what he might find could change the report.

Eddie was the first one to walk out of the shop in the evening spring air.

Spring is different in New York from California. It’s not too hot, not too cold, but just comfortable enough for a jacket. The sun was setting low over the buildings, dipping under the broken windows and through the cracks of the building. If California was closer, he wouldn’t mind living here near this quiet spot of NYC, and he knew Venom would adapt to the cars and people, but people shouldn’t be a problem to them. If he had a chance, they might look at apartments for sale for kicks, but the image of leaving his home and Lizzy flashed. All she has is her mother and him. He never saw pictures of her other family members or a picture of her father, and when he asked Ms. Dawner about it, she threw him out of the kitchen along with a pitch of water.

“See ya, Mr. Russo!” Peter called before shutting the door. He shoved a hand in his jean pocket and held a white sandwich bag in the other. “So, do you want to meet up here tomorrow?”

A bright green car passed by, and they could hear the base pumping. “Yeah, Peter,” Eddie answered as their eyes followed the car. The car droved up the two blocks before turning right. “We can do that. What time? Gotta give you time to walk here from school.”

**Do kids even walk to school these days?**

Peter’s head glanced over his shoulder and shivered. “I can get here around 3:45 if the traffic’s not bad.” He looked back up Eddie and hoped that he didn’t notice the nervousness in his eyes. “I can do that.”

Eddie smiled approvingly. “Good. It’s a date then. I’ll meet you here 3:45 if the traffic ain’t bad.” He glanced around the small street as Venom listened to a cat hissing down a nearby ally and a woman’s echoing yell at a man. He must have taken his purse. Probably nothing bad—

Eddie and Peter jumped to the sound of a bang and the same woman yelling afterward. They looked in the direction of the yell, and the bright green car passed them again, but it was driving a bit faster.

“I gotta go, Eddie. I’m going to miss the bus.” Peter said as he strapped his bag tighter, turning to leave. “You know how to get back, right?”

He didn’t give Eddie the time to answer; he was already jogging down the sidewalk.

 **Hungry, Eddie.** Eddie could feel Venom wanting to follow the green car, the same way Peter was jogging. **Just one.**

Eddie pulled out his phone as if someone was calling them. “Hello, yeah, uh, we can’t do that.” He began to walk towards the other direction. “We’re strangers here, V. We gotta blend in and play by their rules. One wrong move and we’re toast.” Eddie stopped, looked both ways, and crossed the street. “Besides, do you really want New York to be in terror because we’re here?”

Suddenly, his legs stopped the middle of the road. **If that means food, yes, my love.** His heels turned around and he felt them beginning to speed walk into a jog. **Just one.**

They turned down an ally two buildings before the shop. “Venom, no.”

**Venom, yes.**

Eddie’s hand shoved his phone back in his sweatshirt. “No. No, no, no!” Eddie hissed through his teeth. “Ven, no!”

 **Shut up, Eddie. Just one and that will contain us.** Eddie could feel Venom beginning to wrap around his legs, and they were crawling up. **We promise.** His arms disappeared under a shiny black, silky skin. Eddie could feel his head beginning to sink as his ears began to pop. When he blink, Venom had taken over. They leapt up on from wall to wall over the trashcans and up the bricks until they were on the roof of the apartment. They can’t see everything, but it was enough to see the streets near the bridge.   **“Just one.”**

Eddie rolled his head over and thought about it. Even if he says no, Venom was going anyways. When was the last time they ever listened to him? _Will this make you a good, happy, little alien?_

 **“Yes. Very happy,”** Venom answered with a smile on their face as they spot the green car running through a red light. **“We won’t bother you until we are hungry again.”** There was a short pause because Eddie knew Venom wasn't going to shut up over severy small thing that's different in this city.  **"And the next time we have questions. We promise."**

Eddie inhaled a deep and stressful breath. _Fine, fine._ Venom could feel Eddie losing the battle; they smiled in delight. _Please chew your food this time. I don’t wanna throw-up a liver… again._ He really didn’t want to throw up another human liver. He’s okay with the rest, but not the liver. _And don’t eat anything else because the last time you ate a bird, we were coughing up feathers for a week!_

Venom rolled their eyes. **“Yes, mother,”** he said, mockingly like a teen.

Eddie could feel them lowering to jump, and, before Eddie could prey, they were already in the air, harling towards the car.

 

Peter dumped his bag by in an abandon building before he went out, but he brought his camera just in case something would happen. He felt bad not letting Eddie know Spiderman was going to be out soon, but it would stop the red flags in the back of his head.

Speaking of which, where in the world was that voice coming from? It was the same deep, raspy, thunder rumbling voice he heard at the office but didn’t say anything about it. Then he heard it again at the shop—more than once! It was so… so… _different_. He never heard it before, and he doesn’t recognize it either. Whatever it was, it seems to like chocolate and wants to protect Mr. Russo and Pickles. That’s good, right? To add on, Eddie noticed. Eddie _Brock_ noticed. Was he really that readable today?

Peter quickly pulled down his mask and leapt up, a web slinging from his wrist, and swung himself into the air. Looking down at his city and watching the cars whiz by, Peter felt big. Over the street corner, he heard a child shouting excitedly to his parents. They might be pointing up at him, smiling wide in excitement, but he had no time to stop. The green car was up by five cop cars heading for the bridge. If he could get ahead and spin a huge web to catch the car like a fly. The car is going fast enough, so if he could get them to hit the rail at, what?, less than sixty, they could easily fly into a web—

A gunshot interrupted his mental math from underneath. He quickly dodged in midair, moving to the left as another one shot underneath him after another, rattling off one right after another. “What the?” Peter glanced down in shock then back up.

Something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

The same type of wrong he felt when he saw his history test last week and none of the questions were on the study guide. The same type of wrong he felt when he didn’t eat May’s pasta last week. The same type of wrong he felt when he heard the voice for the first time. All of this was all types of wrong.

Jumping off close buildings, Peter dodged each bullet firing at him. The timing of gunmen after him while trying to get another gunman in a green car. Leaping, jumping, swinging, dodging bullets in the air while thinking of a plan to stop a driver. “Well,” he said aloud after he thought the whole thing through. “There goes the extra credit for English due tomorrow.”

He shot three or four Web Bombs, as he calls them, and shot a large web that stretched at the mouth of the bridge to stop the car or slow them down, but the car sped faster. Around the green car, streaks of purple and blue lightening came from the hood until there was a white shield in front of the car. He could hear the engine ripping and tearing, humming under the hood like a bee, sharp and loud. Peter watched in the air as the car disappeared at the web. The humming started low, but roared on the other side, driving, mocking his web.

“Well, that’s not good,” he breathed when the cop cars stopped in front of the web, stepping out of the car, and began shooting at the taillights. Peter grunted stressfully to himself. Out of all the things in the world the car has to happen today, this one has to be a time traveling car. He flew over the giant web, shouting, “I’m sorry, guys!" He apologized. "I’ll get him! I promise!” He felt hopeful in himself. He wants to impress the Avengers, right? This should help, and the pictures he could show to Eddie tomorrow of this event--he know that this was going to be good. Besides, it's not like this guy could travel through time! That's just as crazy as the black monster in California. "I'll get them!"

He swung from tower to tower on the bridge as he hoovered over the speeding green car after shooting his camera to the top of the bridge. He should get an action shot good enough to show Eddie. With perfect timing, he let go of the thread and fell. The feeling of falling new gets old. If he could jump out of a plane or a space shutter to experience the wind around his body and the pressure fall of his shoulders. Where falling, you can truly feel freedom. Where falling, it’s just him and his thoughts, alone in the sun, falling forever. When falling, he can see the world under him, and it didn’t make him feel so small. The wind passing him and real air filling his lungs, he landed on the car with ease and held on for dear life.

He swung his head over and taped on the driver’s window, shouting, “Please! Pull over!” His head tingled, and he shot up to avoid the slug. “Whoa!” Peter watched the bullet hit another car’s tire to pop it. Acting fast, he shot a web big enough to stop the car flipping on the road. “That could’ve killed someone!” Peter shouted at the driver as he laid on his back. _They must have had those guys shooting at me for an escape!_ Then he smirked to himself.  _I'm Spider-Man! They can't get rid of me that fast!_

He turned himself and faced forward. The police on the other side of the bridge set up a quick blockade of the cop cars and a single water drum in the center. The car was driving too fast; the blockade wouldn’t slow the car down. If he shot web strains around the car, it wasn’t going to help. He felt the car slow down suddenly, jerking the car around and faced the water, and placed it in park. Peter sat still on the car and breathed slowly. He could hear the police officers cock their gun back, ready to fire, but he laid on the car to catch himself. 

Well, if this wasn't turning gears and fears in his head, Peter didn't know what to expect next.

His ears began to tingle and his heart began to race as his Spidey Sense kick on a high red alert. On his back, he felt a dark shadow linger over him. He could feel dark eyes watching him carefully, and he could feel a force around him. The sound of water and waves rushed in his ears like static, freezing his legs. Swallowing, he flipped on his back—

A long-barrow gun was inches away from his nose; Peter was able to move. He felt as if he was stuck to the car—to the earth. His legs didn’t kick up like they normally would do, and his arms didn’t swing up to shoot the guy with his webs. He felt glued, stuck, paralyzed to the roof of the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who knows what might happen next. Who knows who we might meet along this journey. Who knows what questions might be answered.


	5. The Bird and the Crow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have a job for you, Spider-Man,” he said without looking at their direction. “If you get the bird, I’ll leave your city alone. If you get the crow that guards the bird, then I’ll leave forever. If the crow stronger than you, I guess we’ll see later.”

“I have to hand it to you, Spider-Man,” the male’s voice said under a leathered gasmask. “I was expecting someone… _bigger_ to come.”

Peter never seen him before. His dirty blonde hair was neatly combed to the side, wich made him look tougher along with his leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and a deep red shirt. Around his neck, a thin silver chain hung with a black crystal charm, and his shoulders were wide and bold. Judging from his feet, Peter could see he was wearing black leather biker’s boots. He could see his face under the gas mask’s goggles, but Peter was will to bet his life that the figure had brown eyes. 

Peter felt his lower lip quiver a question, but nothing came out.

He imagined a smirk on his face. “I’m not here for you, however.” His voice was deep and smooth like Aunt May’s whiskey. “I’m here for someone else, someone bigger than you.” He clicked the hammer back and narrowed the barrow between his eyes. “I just needed bait.”

He suddenly felt terrified. He couldn’t move or talk! He was frozen to the car as his heart went to his throat, beating a thousand miles per second. He heard the police behind him taking the gun off safety, and Peter knew that a shower of bullets would come afterward. The police want to arrest him, but, when it comes down to the wire, they keep him around because he makes their jobs easier (if that makes any since). He could hear the captain’s voice shouting a command, but he could hear the words. His heartbeat was too loud, too hard against his chest. He couldn’t move. Why couldn’t he move?

“But,” the voice sung under the mask. “I’m willing to make a deal with you, Spider-Man, now that I got their attention and you were proved yourself to be flexible.” His arm lifted the gun to his hip, but it was still low enough to take out his head if he needed to. “You heard of the Demon of San Francisco? I want them, and I have every right to believe that they’re here in New York.”

Suddenly, Peter felt his body jolt up and he was floating in front of him, his feet dangling, shoulders and legs squeezed together. His lungs tighten in his chest as he felt his throat being closed. “You have four days to bring them to me, or, well,” Peter’s left leg snapped violently, twisting until he heard a loud _snap_ under his skin by his kneecap. He wanted to scream, but no noise came out. “You get the picture.”

Their head turned up and looked at the police officers then back at Peter. “I wonder if they’re watching now.” Through the goggles, Peter could see a glimmer of brown soaking in flames. He could feel energy flow throughout his body and in his broken leg. Peter shivered when he felt his leg cracking again. “Tell me, Spider-Man,” his head turned back at the crowd. “Do you think you’re a good swimmer?”

           

Venom watched from a tower on the other side of the bridge. They watched the whole show unwrapping before them with the green car traveling through the net. New York City is a big place for a big guy like them, and it was big enough. He could see the sun and the moon set at the same time, and they thought that is was as beautiful as their sun in California. The sky is a soft gold and peach clouds floating softly over buildings and dreamers. Venom took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly.

 **“We like it here, Eddie.”** Their voice rumbled as they marveled at the clouds. **“We are glade we didn’t destroy your world.”**

 _Well, I’m glade that you enjoy this view, bud, but can we please get down, and get to the bridge? I think that spider needs our help._ Even though Eddie has been bounded with Venom for months, he still hates heights. He rather listen to heavy metal than be high up.

**“Then we can watch later with Flash, yes?”**

_If we stay here long enough and not move, we’ll run out of time._

Flash Thompson—Eddie’s nephew, a pain in the ass for his parents, and one of the few who knows about Venom. He’s not his nephew, really. His father, Harrison (Harry), and Eddie were best friends ever since he could remember. Eddie was always his wingman in everything, and his father always help Eddie during math class. When shit hit the fan, they were the first in line to watch. When he got married and had a kid, Eddie was one of the first to hold the little guy. Because Eddie didn’t have family close to him, and Eddie basically felt like family, Harry told his son that he was Uncle Eddie. He watched him grow up for the first years of his life, maybe ten years or so, before he had to stay in California for the next five years. Then then Thompsons moved to New York after Harry got an offer for a job. They always told Eddie the he was welcome to come over for anything, that’s when he called them a couple days ago about the report.

How he knows about Venom?

“I knew it was you, Ed. Who else is crazy enough to go on a side of a rocket and blow it up? President Trump?”

“I see you, kid. Got any questions for us?”

“Yeah. When you sleep, does it dream, do you dream, or is it shared? How does it work if one fancy a person but the other doesn’t? And, when eating, do you say you’re eating for two or just one?”

They never thought of that before.

 **“Quick in?”** Venom asked as he gripped the railing.

 _Quick out._ Eddie conformed. _Do not approach cops or Spider-Man. Got it?_

Venom laughed lowly to himself, smiling wide. **“We do whatever we want.”**

 _I think I just heard you say that you do want chocolate waffles tonight._ Eddie felt their stomach rumble at the mention of waffles. _I feel like we found a deal?_ Eddie felt proud of himself for taking charge, and he felt better knowing Venom would do anything for waffles. He’ll remember this moment.

 **“Fine, but,”** their eyes narrowed at the gas mask person. **“Just one.”**

Their legs leapt off the rails and over the cars, casting a shadow over them below. Eddie could hear a woman screeching at them, and he could feel them pointing. If Lizzy were here, she would say that it’s rude to point without knowing what’s happening. That kid is too smart for her own good. They landed on the road in front of a red truck, cracking the cement, shaking the bridge. The figure’s head snapped at their direction, and they could imagine a satisfied smile on them under the gas mask. Eddie’s narrowed at the person as they weaved in and out of parked and crashed cars along the bridge. They have to hand it to the guy; he did make a mess. A big mess. Eddie just hoped everyone in New York has good insurance.

They were three cars away when they heard a _snap_ coming from the small hero, but they didn’t scream in pain. Why?

“Hello, Venom,” the person said coolly, their voice muffled and deep. “I knew you were going to be here sooner or later.”

Venom ignored their remark and growled lowly in the back of their throat. They _hate_ it when someone calls them out in the open. It’s not like they like a challenge because they knew they could take on anyone and anything that stood in their way; it’s the way they were called out—using another human to make them come. It makes them feel sick in their stomach, and it makes them want to hurt the other even more. **“What do you want?”** They growled deeply, feeling the young hero panicking at the sound of their voice.

Gas Mask turned themselves along with the small hero. Venom could feel their broken leg and smelt the salt in their blood. They wanted to lick their teeth, but they didn’t; they weren’t the target. “How’s the search for her stuffed cat going? Can’t find the store yet, huh?” Their voice was even, and they could see the smartass smile crossing their lips.

 _I think we might enjoy eating this asshole._ Eddie could feel Venom’s anger beginning to build. For the first time of his life, he was wishing death upon a person.

Their voice shook, **“If you harmed her—”**

“I haven’t,” he said, suddenly tossing Spider-Man aside. Their head smacked on a car hood, and his body landed hard on the floor. Venom could hear them groaning in the back of his throat in pain. “A young boy as a big hero,” remarked the villain in admiration. “I haven’t harmed her, no; not yet. She’s too important for the plan.”

Around them, they watched a bird freeze while in flight, and the bullets the police fired slowly spun in the air towards them. The only ones moving were them, Spider-Man, and Gas Mask. “I have a job for you, Spider-Man,” he said without looking at their direction. “If you get the bird, I’ll leave your city alone. If you get the crow that guards the bird, then I’ll leave forever. If the crow stronger than you, I guess we’ll see later.”

_Okay—new plan. Eat him, heal them, and let’s leave._

Before they can move or make a jump, purple streaks of energy—energy Venom felt before—charged around their body. To their left, Spider-Man hovered above a dark blue car, and their body slid over the railing. “Three days, two choices, one mistake, and zero chances of making it out alive.” The car hummed behind them as the bullets seemed to becoming closer, inching in the air. “I’ll see you there, Venom, and I’ll meet you there, Spider-Man.” He slung the shotgun over his shoulder like a hunter in a pack. “I can’t wait to see how this’ll turn out.” In a bright blue and purple flash, the man was gone, dropping Spider-Man in the water and time caught up to them.

Venom had enough time to react to the bullets, but Eddie was still fixated on the Gas Mask dude and the green car. It was just as ugly as the driver was.

 **“Can Eddie swim?”** Venom asked after jumping over a car, avoiding bullets in the processes.

 _Yeah, just jump and I can take over from their!_ Eddie’s voice was ready, and he was ready. Whoever the guy was knew who Lizzy is, which means they know who Eddie is. _They must have been watching us, Ven! They knew we were going to be here!_ Venom hurled themselves over the side of railing. _I’m calling Ms. Dawn tonight. I have to tell her._

 _ **No, Eddie. It’ll make the situation worse. If we leave now, they’ll know where to go and how to find us.**_ They hit the water, and they were about ten feet away from Spider-Man. **_Can’t feel them, Eddie._**

Eddie began to kick his feet towards them as Venom quickly submerge under his skin. Eddie was a good swimmer because it was a requirement in Boy Scouts. His hand grasped the boy’s arm and he began to pull up. _Buddy ol’ pal, I need two strong kicks towards shore, but don’t let anyone see us._ Eddie felt his legs being wrapped in something thick and warm. Eddie gave his legs a strong kick and he felt himself fly across the water. He gave one more and he saw a sandy floor and the shores’ edge.

Eddie lifted both him and Spider-Man out of the water and dragged them to shore. He quickly looked over his shoulder at the bridge to make sure the police wouldn’t see them. Eddie doesn’t have a problem with police; it’s Venom who wants to eat them more than anything.

They focused on the hero’s chest and carefully watched. “Still nothing?” Eddie breathed. He glanced quickly down at their wrist then back at the hero. “Buddy, I got a plan, and you’re going to hate it.”

**_Do it._ **

Eddie’s hand grasped the hero’s mask and quickly pulled it off--

“V,” Eddie’s voice cracked as his eyes gazed at the kid, looking as if he was asleep. The golden skies began to fade into a dark blue, but it was a perfect dark blue. It wasn’t as blue as the skies, but it wasn’t as dark like after a thunder storm. It was blue, just blue. A promising, dark blue that’ll forever be stained in Eddie’s head forever. The stars began to pop one by one in the sky and buildings. It doesn’t matter to him because lights and stars blur sometimes if he squints at them. The night’s blue would fade into black soon, along with the kid. Eddie glanced down at his wrist then at Peter’s neck. “You know what to do, but be fast enough so they don’t know."

 ** _But, Eddie…_** Venom’s voice was softer than normal; it didn’t rumble as excitedly and wonderfully in his head. Their voice was soft enough that Eddie could hear his heart pond in their chest. He felt Venom move in his mind, down his neck, through every muscle in his shoulder, and traveled down his arm. **_We understand._**

Eddie watched as Venom slipped into Peter’s neck and disappeared in his body. Everything was going to change soon, and Eddie knew this. First, a stranger threatened Lizzy, which means he’ll come back with them, then threw Peter off the bridge with a broken leg after giving a mission to bring them the bird and the crow—Eddie and Venom. Eddie made that connection quickly, but why did he say that Lizzy was important to the plan? Was she the bird and them the crow? And Eddie swore he saw the leather jacket before! It looks almost like his, but his had a single white band around his elbows and it was back at home by this motorcycle keys. They’re in a different city, yet, they were stocked, followed, and threatened by a stranger under a gas mask. This was supposed to be a harmless story about Spider-Man for his work, but, now, it turned into a Save-A-Life-Without-Anyone-Knowing mission.

Eddie ran his fingers through his hair and sucked in air through his teeth. His eyes lingered at the kid he met today, and followed down at their broken leg snapping back into place. “What the hell did we walk into, Venom?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything will change sooner in the book. I'm excited on how this'll go.


	6. Calming Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Venom and Spider-Man meeting for the first time. This should be fun. It's a bit short, but it's a good one.

He didn’t feel anything at first after he splashed in the water. Peter knew that he was sinking down and he couldn’t move his leg. He was never the greatest swimmer in the family, and he never thought of seeing the… whatever that was on the bridge. The monster is from San Francisco. Eddie did reports…

He couldn’t keep his mind straight on the topic. He couldn’t breathe, and it scared him. It scared him because his aunt was going to be worried about him when he doesn’t come home. He was scared because Eddie was going to be waiting for him at the café tomorrow, and, if he was saved, he has to lie about the broken foot. He was scared because of the gas mask person and his mission. Taking the Demon of San Francisco in a fight to keep his city safe? How was he going to do that? And Lizzy? Who is Lizzy and why is she so important? He shouldn’t be worried about that as he sinks to the bottom, but one has to wonder.

Finally, when his lungs gave out and caved under the water, he remembers a darker mass over him casting a shadow over him. It felt cold at first, but, somewhere in the back of his mind and in front of his heart, it felt warm and welcoming. He never thought that death could swim when he was a kid, but doesn’t death come in ways that you least expect? Peter saw pictures of the grim reaper riding a surfboard once, and he thought that it was even funnier when the skeleton was wearing pink flamingo trunk. He drifted deeper down into the cold water with his heart beating one last time…

…then he was plucked by energy, picking inside his skin as it crawled all over his muscles and bones. The warm feeling surged through his veins and hit every nerve perfectly. His heartbeat was slow at first.

**_…k up._ **

He could feel his lungs sucking in air as his heartbeat began to quicken. His broken leg snapping back into place with ease. It didn’t hurt nor stung.

**_…ake up._ **

His mind began to race over memories and pictures of his life, and he saw his parents for the last time, his aunt cooking, Uncle Ben holding his hand as he bleed on the sidewalk—

**_Wake up, Peter Parker._ **

Peter’s eyes shot up, his body shooting up, coughing, throwing up water on his lap, gasping on air. The warm feeling inside drifted away and left his body, and a dark shadow hung over his shoulders and a large claw-like hand rubbing his back as he began to breathe again. He was shaking from the cold, sharp wind and the shock of him being alive. He wanted to cry but he couldn’t find the strength to. His lungs began to burn with life while his mind jumped around New York, remembering how to get home and how he got here.

 **“Deep breaths, small morsel.”** That voice. **“Deep breath then count to ten backwards aloud.”**

 _I know that voice._ His eyes grew too wide and his mouth hung to low as his heartbeat began to panic. He’s been hearing that voice all day and he saw the monster on the bridge. When he first heard it in real life and not in his head, he wanted to scream, but he couldn’t move. His head started to pound and scream in realization of the owner of the voice. The deep voice was behind him, and, as far as he was concerned, a maniac assigned him to fight the monster. If that it, then why did it come and save him? A sick feel grew in his stomach and felt like he was being stabbed over and over. Monsters enjoy killing their pray.

**“Peter?”**

Peter wasn’t sure what was worse. The fact the monster brought him to life only to kill him again, or how the monster knew him by name. Shaking, his hand lifted to his lips and traced the bumps and ridges then it trailed to his stomach.

**“Kid?”**

The twisted feeling grew until he couldn’t stand it anymore. “I think I’m going to be sick,” he whimpered. Suddenly, his body lurched to his lift side, facing away from the monster, and threw up again but it was violent than the last. He felt his milkshake’s silver stars and the tuna sandwich he had for lunch come out in clumps, and, when he felt empty, he threw up water that tasted like eggs. His body trembled and shivered in pure terror. No matter what he thought of, he couldn’t stop shaking, but, when he did, he began to cry. He rolled on his back and shut his eyes, panicking.

 _What are you doing?_ Eddie hissed. _Don’t just stand there! Sit next to him until he calms down!_ Eddie mentally sighed to himself. The next thing he’s going to do is teach an alien bedside manners or, at least, a dad figure. _But not to close,_ Eddie said carefully as they sat began to sit. _He might be scared of us. We are pretty big. And soft voice—use your soft voice._ It came to him faster than speeding car. _Act as if he’s Lizzy. That should work._

“I can’t,” Peter’s voice cracked between sobs. “Please don’t eat me.”

Venom couldn’t help by snort in amusement. He thought they we going to eat him. If he wanted to, he could, but his blood type was B-. B-s are too sweet to eat, and he has the sweetest blood. **“No,”** their answered, listening to their host. **“We will not eat you.”** Venom watched as they flinched at their voice. Their host would act like this for the first month after living within them. Venom knew he was scared of them; he didn’t have to say it. They could feel his heartbeat as if it was their own, and it was pounding in his chest, hammering against the walls. The sky was turning darker, and more faded white stars shined as the police began to leave. Of course, no one could see them on the shore, and no one would find them because, to get where they were, someone would have to jump a fence. **“Take deep breathes, and count to ten backwards slowly.”**

Peter licked his lips. “Ten; n-nine; eight”—coughs in his arm—“seven; six; five; four; three…” he opened his eyes and his head inched towards the large mass. It’s skin was slimy and smooth, and his arms had thin white lights that looked like lightening. Peter could hear their head turning to look down at them. They have jagged teeth like straw and needles and dead, white, milky eyes. The eyes and teeth didn’t bother him, no; it was the long, pink, snake-like tongue that curled out of its mouth. His heart began to run again. “Three,” his said in a high-pitched voice. “Three.”

 **“Do not focus on us.”** Venom’s voice was so soft, so gentle, he almost sound human if it wasn’t for his voice rippling through his teeth. Behind the milky eyes and shark teeth, Peter could have sworn he saw a human. A simple man who has been to Hell for a vacation. **“Focus on your breathing, count backwards. Focus on the water and the sky.”** Their head calmly looked at the water in front of them and hummed, **“Focus on how the water is touching the sky. It is calm, so should be your breathing. Gently in and softly out.”**

Peter took a deep breath and felt his chest tighten. “Ten,” his voice crack as his head turned slowly towards the water. “Nine; eight, s…seven,” the last of the fading orange dipped into the water, setting fire to the calm waves. “Six, five,” over the water, a small bird flew over the water, and his Spidey Senses could hear it singing a polite tune. “Four,” his eyes traced and connected each star and building lights together. Somewhere, he could hear a police car’s whistle. “Thr…three,” he swallow the lump in his throat and shut his eyes. His heartbeat was flowed through is body and kept a rhyme and time with the fading orange and darkening night. “Two,” behind his eyelids, he could see the small willow in front of his aunt’s home, and, sitting on the porch on the white swing, he saw his uncle smoking a pipe and reading the newspaper. His uncle looked up at him and smiled. Peter’s shoulders fell and his back relaxed as he felt the heartbeat of his city. It was alive and breathed life at night. His eyes lids flutter up to see the last bit of orange fall and disappear in the water. “One.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write. I had my psychology teacher help me write the method and responses.


	7. Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something new is going to happen to Venom that he never knew could happen.

There was silence between the alien and the human as they watched dark blue sky starting to fade into purple. Peter could feel his heartbeat become steady again in his chest, beating still and warm. His breathing was steady again, not ragged and sharp. He felt himself coming back home again, and he felt safer with the dark shadow around.

Peter glanced up at the monster and licked his lips. “So, um,” he rubbed his hands nervously. “What, um—I’m not meaning to be rude, really—what’s your name?”

Venom looked down at him and tried to give a friendly smile like Eddie gave when they first met. **“We are Venom,”** they answered as they kept their voice soft.

 “‘We’?” Peter quickly looked down at their feet and sized them up. “Like, there’s two of you?” Peter thought for a moment.

_Don’t mention me. He might get nervous, V._

Venom sat up and hugged his legs. **“There is two of us—us and my host.”**

“Oh, cool,” Peter answered as his mind began to jump excitedly. “So, can I ask some questions?”

**“We don’t see why not,”** Venom throw his other hand towards the water. Peter watch thick black threads fly and splash in the water, and it reminded him of a fishing pole. **“Water is cool.”** Venom glanced down at him and gave a full smile. **“We like it.”**

Peter crossed his legs and asked, “So, when your host sleeps, can they see your dreams, or do you see theirs? Do you two share dreams? Also, when they eat, are they feeding themselves or for two?” His eyes shined a dim blue flame, and it flickered in excitement. He almost reminded Venom of a child, of Lizzy, when hearing a story.

They looked as if they were thinking, and, after nodding in their head, Venom answered, **“According to our human, it depends on meal time. Breakfast is coffee for them, lunch is sandwich with meat for us, snack depends, and dinner is mine.”** He yanked back his arm in the water. In their grips, a fish wiggle their grasp. Once the fish was close to them, they allowed force do its thing, opening their mouth and swallowed the flying fish whole. **“The host hates fish,”** Venom chuckled. **“They are angry at us.”**

“What about the sleep part?”

Venom shrugged. **“We don’t know. Never thought of that before.”**

One by one, the street lamps powered on by the roads and on the bridge. Peter studied his leg that was broken. “Thank you for saving me and healing my leg.” He watched Venom nod at them and threw their arm at the water to fish again. “Earlier, I heard you talking, to someone.” Eddie perked up and turned his head at the kid in shock. “I didn’t know who or what you were, but I could hear you, not see you.”

They had no words. All this time silently talking to each other, making side notes and comments about Peter and New York, Peter could hear them. Eddie shifted his shoulders and felt his right shoulder pop. **“Can,”** Venom began cautiously. **“Can you hear host?”**

“No, I just heard your voice.” Peter tried to give him a grin, but he came up short. “I was freaked out all day, and I was kind of scared”—Without Peter noticing, Venom right hand flinched and almost made a fist—“when I first heard you. I really thought I was going nuts for a sec.”

_That makes sense,_ Eddie groan as he lifted his hand and placed his thumb and finger between their eyes. _That’s why he kept looking around nervously when talked! Gosh, why didn’t I notice this?_

_**But they couldn’t hear you.** _

“You two are talking,” Peter said in amazement. “But, no, I can’t hear your host. Just you.”

**“Just me?”**

“Just you and no one else,” Peter answered. He felt an overwhelming spot of joy growing in his chest. “I don’t know why. Do you?”

 Just to make share. **_No, this is our first time learning this. Someone else can hear our conversations._**

Peter scrunched his lips together and squeezed his eyes shut, holding his breath. _Y-yeah. Ju… just y-y-you._ Peter beamed up proudly at them, their eyes exploding with pride.

Eddie didn’t move.

“Did you hear it? Did you hear my answer?” Peter felt so proud of himself.

Venom didn’t know what to say.

Peter’s brows crunched together. _Is this better? Am I doing it right?_

Eddie had their legs jump up, and said in a panic, **“Okay! This is okay. This is fine.”** Eddie made Venom snap out of the water as he began to pace. _How the hell—when the hell—what the fuck!?_ He could feel Venom began to talk to them mentally. _Just talk aloud! It’s no use to do it anymore!_

Peter turned his body and watched them pace franticly back and forth, hearing them talk to their host. He didn’t know what to think of it, and he didn’t know how to react to their action. He could response or say anything to their argument, but he couldn’t find the words. They almost reminded him of his teachers bickering in the hallways over PDA and the drug trafficking. **“No, no—I didn’t know! What? No, he cannot hear you. I—I don’t know how he can hear us.”** They stopped in the middle of their pace and said offended, gasping, **“I would _never_ do that! Okay. You got me there, but… Eddie?” **Peter’s head perked at his name. **“We could ask? What does he know? Tell me that! Yeah sure,”** They crossed their arms, annoyed at their host. Whoever it was, they must have good points. **“Like _you_ should know more about that.”**

“Wait,” Peter stumbled as he stood up. “Eddie? As in Eddie Brock? You know him?” He thought over the day and began to connect the dots. “So, that makes a lot of sense!” Peter sighed amazed. “You two—three?—know each other, right? And he is like me? He can hear you talk.”

Venom didn’t have the heart to kill the bright smile on his face. The child was too happy to learn this, and they didn’t want to ruin it. As long as they could keep up with this lie, then everything would be all right. What’s one more lie to tell to the child? Venom knew it was a matter of time before he learned about it, and he also knew that Peter wouldn’t trust them… but it’s a risk they were willing to take. Eddie could make up some story about how they know each other and everything could make since at the end! But… that could raise question like ‘how did you know my name?’ and ‘where were you at the shop and out on the streets?’ and, most importantly, ‘why are you in New York? Why follow Eddie here?’ They have a role to play for this Gas Mask Guy, and Spider-Man has to get them somehow. All three of them knew that they would have to fight at the end, and Venom doesn’t want to do that.

Something inside of Peter interested them. Their memories and thought could make them a perfect host, but Venom knew they couldn’t take him because of body—they could kill them within the first hour.  

Venom let out a short, frustrated sigh, placing a hand on their face. **“It does not matter now, Spider,”** there voice rumbled. **“For now, forget us until the fourth day. It is better that way.”**

Peter took a step forward and wrapped an arm around his side. “But, I don’t wanna fight you.”

Venom met them and stared down at him. He was small, weak and fragile. His eyes were wondering and bright, glowing like a child’s—he was a child. His joyful voice and wonderfully made soul reminded them of Lizzy. In his eyes, they saw their reflection. A hero? A villain? No, the crow. They rested their hands on his shoulders and shook their head. **“We are afraid we must.”** Venom backed away from him, suddenly feeling afraid. Afraid of being around him, afraid of being near their bright smile. They had a halo of light around them, and it _scared_ Venom. They were suddenly scared of hurting them and the fight to come, and they couldn’t escape it. **“We are sorry, Peter.”**

Peter reached his hand out, calling, “Venom, wait. We can talk this out—”

One moment, they saw a perfect boy, unharmed, standing in front of them, reaching out to them. He was hopeful and gentle as he held out his hand, and Venom felt itself wanting to reach out to him, but he couldn’t. They were dangerous to be around, and it was dangerous to trust. They could feel Peter’s heartbeat in the air as it matched the waves crashing against the bridge. How do waves move without wind? How do they find the strength to move without help? There is so much to learn in so little time. There was a long stretch between Peter and Venom that none of them could grasp, both falling down and back up. They will protect him, but… no, not like this. Not like this.

Venom shook his head and, without saying a word, they leapt up. Eddie’s heartbeat was drowning out noise in his ears as he felt his chest tighten. He knows this feeling—Venom was _afraid_. He watched Peter wanting to follow, but he didn’t. His hand lowered as he understood the situation they were in. Friends? Sure, maybe later, right? It's not like Peter has to  _kill_ them or their host... right? A sick knot twisted his stomach again. Peter never killed anyone before, neither has Spider-Man. They both have morals to follow no matter how bad a person is. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? His aunt says that all the time, but she sees the best in people while Peter's fighting them. How could she do that every day of her life? There has to be a stopping point for her somewhere. Peter hung his head and slouch back down on the ground. Maybe it was better this way, for Venom to leave him here. It is going to keep him safe until they'll go toe-to-toe. There are so many things that Peter has to talk Eddie tomorrow, but Peter knew hat his math wasn't going to get down by itself. 

He stood back on his own two feet and looked out to the water. The night was a cool, too cool for New York at this time of year. Peter shivered as he pulled over his mask. The night sky was a dark purple and blue as the lights reflected off the streets, glowing dimly in the night. All of this belongs to Peter, and all of this could be taken away easily. He gripped his hands and called out at the waters, "I promise I will find a new way out of this. I won't fight them, I promise!" His voice echoed over the waves. "I swear to you, New York!" He jogged to the water's edge and shouted, "I swear! Your Spider-Man won't fight him! I promise!" He gripped his hands together as his heartbeat tapped in his ears. "I promise, Venom." Peter whispered to himself. "We don't have to do this. No, not like that." He lifted his head and reached out an arm towards the main city.

The sky over the waters grew darker until it was night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, so, another chapter written.


	8. Double Sides of the Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanna meet our bad guy?

When he got back to his apartment, he didn’t know how to react. San Francisco is a beautiful city with beautiful people, how come they couldn’t see him? He ripped off his mask and threw it on the sofa of the dead owner’s apartment. He didn’t kill them, no, but he wanted to deep inside. He wanted to expose himself to the Demon before his host left for New York, but he couldn’t. His glitching was getting out of control. At first, it was fine after moving time-to-time, place-to-place, keeping up with time itself, but it was the matter of time that was moving faster than him. The last time he was able to stand in a room without moving for five minuets had to be last Christmas at his mother’s house before she died. He wanted to stand still in silence for the longest time, but how could he do that without feeling his feet? One moment, he’s in his office, and the next he’s somewhere in Asia then back at his office before lunch. Soon after, he would be in a different time where Eddie didn’t have the symbiote and he had Venom. He was back in his normal home, his normal timeline for a month or so; not moving and living a steady life…before he were killed and was sent back to this timeline.

He took off his jacket and hung it on a chair, running his fingers through his hair nervously. He could feel another jump about to happen, and he didn’t want to go. He already saw the world and others like it—he didn’t want to leave, not now. He wonder towards the fridge and took a long, clear bottle of Grey Goose. He hates drinking, but it’s the only way for his nerves to calm down and stop the jumps. He practically has to be drunk in order to live a stead and normal life. The taste never agreed with him, but it works, so, why change something that works? He leaned against the window looking across the street at the other apartment after he took a long drink from the bottle. He can’t go a day without drink a full, wine-size bottle of alcohol. He hates it, but it works. If the glitching is really bad, one bottle and a half a can of beer works.

He never picked this life, and he never wanted any of this to happen. If he doesn’t do this, he could glitch out of existence. He doesn’t want to die—he doesn’t want anyone to die! But, if that means living a normal life again without worrying of glitching and time traveling and jumping, he’ll do it. He’ll do whatever it takes to have his life back again and to have his child back again once more.  

The apartment building across from him housed two important people: Eddie Brock and Elizabeth Dawn. What makes them stand out? One has the symbiote and the other is a friend too important to Eddie. He doesn’t want to use her, but it will get him what he wants. She a nice kid—good grades, friends, joyful, smart (very smart)—and she is raised by a sassy woman who lives alone. Husband left without saying a word before the girl was born. Poor kid. He watched from his perch and studied the window in her room. She must be doing her homework again, or writing a letter; earlier today, he caught her spying on him. Who would blame her?

He leaned against the window frame and drunk again. The buzzing in his head disappeared after he swallowed and his nerves felt better. He took another drink, swallowed hard, and took a deep breath. He was so much better than before, why stop now? He leaned his head against the window’s cool glass and counted in his head to twenty. He crossed too many lines to go back now.

Damnit—he still regrets bring the girl into this.

He took another drink, a longer one, long enough to finish the bottle. His body felt numb and his hand dropped the bottle, landing on the carpet below. He took in another deep breath, and let it out as he watch the girl pull out her binoculars again. She knows he’s watching, but she does it anyways. She placed her binoculars down and began to scribble on a white sheet of paper—no, a small white board and wrote with a bold red marker. He was sober enough to read, but not enough to response… he thinks. He pulled up the computer chair next to his desk and sat. “What the hell?” he murmured.

 When she was done, she held up the sign with one hand and the binoculars in the other. On the board in bold red, it read: Hello, Stranger! :)

 “You gotta be joking, kid,” he said in disbelief, but he waved politely back, saying, “Hello?”

Her face lit up in a shook but happy smile. She brought down the board and began to write again. He glanced over his shoulder at his fridge. His dinner planner was good enough to write to her, and he did have a red marker for her binoculars to see. Without making an effort, he glitched for a moment and he was b the fridge. He took the board off the bridge and jogged back to his seat after taking the marker off his desk. He suddenly felt excited that the girl he wanted to use wants to talk with him. Maybe he could use this to his advantage.

By the time he sat back down, she already wrote, waiting eagerly: Why do you have a green car?

He held up one finger as he wrote. Somehow, he found joy write from across the street to the kid. He held up the board: I like the color green.

Lizzy: Why?

He shrugged as he wrote: I just like green. He quickly erased it and asked on the board: What’s your favorite color?

Lizzy wrote: I love pink and purple! :) She took the board down again and returned it, saying: I’m Lizzy. What’s yours?

How could he respond to that? He bit his lower lip and carefully wrote his name for her to read. He had to hand it to her for reading with binoculars. She’s in second grade, right? Her future will be bright with big opportunities. He knew that Lizzy is going to be a leader, not a follower because only smart people are leaders and rule breakers. He couldn’t wait to see which one she was going to be. He held up his sign and tried to give a friendly grin when she put up her binoculars.

Lizzy smiled at the board and wrote on her board in front of her, holding it up, and read: Nice to meet you, Mr. Flash!

 

Flash jolt up from his bed when he heard the back to slam. He rubbed his hands through his hair and yawn. How long has he been out? Did he finish his math homework? He stretched his arms up and gently lowered them down, his arms spread like wings, yawning. It was only 7:32, but it felt like 4:30 in the morning. He drugged himself out of bed and slumped towards the stairs. His father was sit at the office and his mother was out with the girls from their church, so, who was here?

“Hello?” Flash called as he came down the steps. He rolled his eyes at himself and shook his head, saying, “Yes, Flash—the serial killer is going to answer.” He joked to himself, “‘Yeah, I’m in the kitchen making a sandwich. You want one, kid?’ God, Flash, bud, you’re so dumb.” He hit the bottom of the steps and turned the corner towards the kitchen. The light was on and the refrigerator door was open. “Hey,” he called calmly.

The figure jolted up at the mention of his voice and turned his head over his shoulder. “Awe, sorry, kiddo, I didn’t hear ya.”

He smiled to himself. “Hey, Uncle Eddie and Not-Sure-Uncle Venom,” he grinned to himself as he pulled out a chair from the center table. The kitchen table in the center only has three chairs, but his father added another one for Eddie. “The waffles are in the freezer by the ice cream.” He sat down and cover a yawn. “How was it today? Any leads?”

His uncle is a reporter form California. He’s not his uncle, he knows that, but he’s the only member in the family who really cares about him. He doesn’t ask about football or basketball or any sports—Eddie wants to know what he enjoys the most in school, weather, what’s trending with the kids, and what tie he should wear to prom. Around Eddie, he can breathe, be himself, and be open about his feels. Sure, he’s a tough bully at school and gives no more than two shits about anyone, but, really, he enjoys the soft things in life like the butterfly room in the garden area at his school after practice. He loves to sit and watch them fly around the room, circling flowers. Three people know about this: His teacher—Mrs. Sun—Eddie, and Susan (a freshman who doesn’t care about what he thinks and doesn’t talk to him while they’re in the room). He also enjoys listening to Bob Ross while he does homework, and, if he gets the house to himself long enough, he tries to copy the painting. When he’s done with it, he walks across the street to a lonely old lady with cats as company and gives it to her. He’s given at least four or five paintings all having happy trees.

Eddie plugged the toaster in the wall and placed two frozen waffles in their place. “We learned _so much_ today, kid. So many things that I can’t tell.” He turned and leaned against the counter. “We met Spider-Man today.”

Flash felt his eyes grow. “Really?” He asked excitedly. “I want to meet him, man.”

Eddie nodded his head, nervously saying, “It was fun. V had a panic attack and left.” A thick black thread appeared over his shoulder with a large head, sharp, jagged teeth, and milky eyes. “And, we’re in trouble.”

“How?” Flash asked as he rested his head on his palm. “What? Did he eat a cop? That’s a red flag, man.”

Eddie hummed in the back of his throat. “No, not really. It might be on the news tonight.” The waffles popped up behind them and he pressed them back down.

“Well, that blows hard,” Flash said carelessly, tired and wanting to sleep again. “Why did he have a panic attack?”

Eddie glanced at the thread then threw his arm out. “You got this one, bud. I—this is over my head.” He crossed his arms and glanced at his friend. “Well? What do you have to say?”

Flash imaged them giving a quick huff of air from their chest. **“There was a bad guy. Bad guy is using hero and threaten to do harm if he doesn’t bring us to him. He wants something, but don’t know what. Not for power, but something else.”** He rested his head on Eddie’s shoulder, reminding Flash the cat at the café. **“They broke Spider’s legs and threw them over. We saved.”**

“Which brings me to ask you something, Venom,” Eddie kept his arms crossed. “Why did you have me take over in the water? I know you can swim because I _know_ you can.” Venom coward behind his shoulder uncomfortably. “I’m not mad, I’m confused.”

Flash found himself nodding. “Yeah. I wasn’t there but I know Eddie’s—not offense—not a good swimmer.” Flash sleepily shrugged. _Why am I so tired?_ “What gives?”

Venom weaved around Eddie’s neck and rested on the other side. **“Remember when we parted, and you fell into the water?”** Eddie nods. **“You drowned and died twice that night, and I had to get you. It was… _scary_** **to see you like that. When I bonded again, your mind was alive, but you were not. It took an hour before you woke up.”**

Flash leaned up, stretching, “So, what I’m hearing is that you have a fear of water because you went through an experience of him drowning, which almost makes you feel powerless over death underwater?” His shoulders popped and cracked. “Am I close?” Venom said nothing. “I think I am. If I wasn’t so tired, I would say you—” he covered his yawn by his hand “—you need to try to learn from it. Maybe, slowly, learn how to get over the phobia of Eddie drowning in water.” He suddenly didn’t feel good and his head felt dizzy. “Do you feel fine when he takes a shower?” He shut his eyes and felt the room spin.

**“No. I do not like it when water touches me.”**

“Because it brings you back to that night,” Flash concluded as he kept his eyes shut. His eye lids burned and made his eyes watered. “Back to the sleep dream thing, do…” he felt as if he was driving in a fog. “Do you—Venom—go back to that night in the water?” He lifted his eyes but shut them again. The light was too bright, but he saw both Eddie and Venom nod. “Okay, work on touch a glass of water then slowly learn to touch the water in the glass. After that, a bath, like, a shower might be the next step.” He felt his mind slowing down and his body swaying side-to-side as if he was on a boat. “The rain might be the next step after that then a swimming pool or a… a lake?” His hands gripped the cotton tablecloth. “That,” he breathed breathlessly. He felt a harsh shiver travel up his spine.

“Flash?” Through his blurry eyes, Eddie stood straight up against the counter, holding a plate of waffles. “Kid? You don’t look good.” He watch Eddie place the plate on the other side of the table across of him, Venom still on his should with a mouth full of a waffle. “Feeling fine?”

The world hit Flash all at once, knocking him in his chest and left him breathless. He felt his body fall to the side, dragging the tablecloth with him. His head was banging as if someone was drilling a nail in his skull. His landed on his shoulder and felt the jolt through his bones, and his head hit the tile floor and bounced off the floor like a ping-pong ball. A sharp ringing in his ears stung and hurt as he opened his eyes up at his uncle with Venom hanging over his shoulder. His lips were moving, but Flash couldn’t hear a thing besides his muffle voice. He found it hard to keep his eyes open, and he was weaving in and out too fast, his head turning side-to-side, spinning on the floor. Flash wanted to throw up. He suddenly was lifted off the ground from his arms and was dragged to the coach in the living room. He could hear himself breathing, felt his lungs expanding, and his legs trying to stand under him to help walk to the coach, but he couldn’t hold himself up.

Eddie carefully laid him on the sofa and threw a blanket on him. He knelt down on a knee next to him and placed the back of his hand on Flash’s forehead. “You’re burning, kid,” Eddie muttered to himself. “Do you want me to call your mom?” Flash didn’t answer. “Kid?”

**_He sleeps, Eddie._ **

_I can see that, love._ Eddie stood up and pulled the blanket over his shoulders, smiling down at him the same way his grandmother did, tender and sweet. He ruffled his hair and turned off the lamp not to him, so he could sleep. They went back into the kitchen and cleaned up the cloth and fallen waffles on the floor. Luckily, nothing else was on the table besides that. _Hey, friend?_

**_Yes?_ **

_Why didn’t you tell me about your fear?_ He threw away the fallen waffles and went to the cupboard for a glass then at the sink. _It’s not like I’m upset, you know? I would have been okay with it._

He felt Venom move in the back of his shoulders and morphed arms wrapping around his waist and a head on his shoulder. They could see Flash sleeping steadily on the coach with a hand on his chest. **“We are sorry,”** Venom mumbled; Eddie could feel their voice in his chest. **“I didn’t want to worry you about me.”** Their voice was low enough for Eddie to hear, and it was soft enough not to disturb Flash. **“Forgive?”**

Eddie glanced down at Venom, snuggled against their neck, and gave a quick kiss on top of their head. “Sure, love,” Eddie grinned warmly. “Wanna write a report real fast before Flash wakes up?”

**“Hell yeah.”**  He slithered back under his shirt as Eddie made his way to the living room, found his lap top, and began to write a bringing page of New York’s hero. **“Order pizza?”**

Eddie shrugged as he sat up shop on the love sofa across from Flash. “After writing a page.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear gosh, I hope didn't rip anyone's heart out. The next few chapters will get better, I promise. Sorry for posting late, guys, I had to finish my math homework for tomorrow. Y'all can ask questions if ya want. I'll gladly answer them!


	9. Photos and Gossip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever wonder what the photos meant in the café meant? Want to know about how the police know? Or would you like a foreshadowing character?

“One chocolate molt for you, Mr. Eddie,” Mr. Russo slid the drink in front of the reporter. “I have the chicken cooking in the oven. It’ll be done in ten.”

Eddie took a drink from the candy cane straw. “To make things clear,” Mr. Russo leaned against the counter in front of him. “You call it a ‘molt’ with an ‘o’ instead of an ‘a’?”

Mr. Russo nods his head, winking, “For the third time, yes.” He leaned off the counter and turned towards the seven police officers at the end of the table to take their order.

It’s busier than normal at Greenberg Grub toady. Who would blame the rush, though? There was an attack yesterday on the bridge on Spider-Man. A new villain is in town, threating to harm Mr. Russo’s beloved city along with the Demon of San Francisco in town being the cause. There are reports from California saying that the monster eats human head while sucking their prey’s body clean from blood. Some say it attacks at night, some say innocent people, some say… rumors. Mr. Russo rolled his eyes at the kids in the back corner booth as they talked and read articles aloud for everyone to hear. A redheaded officer—Mary (short, green eyes… Mr. Russo remembers the day she graduated from the academy seven years ago)—shift uncomfortably in her seat. He has a photo of her squad hanging by the door and her with him after the ceremony, both smiling brightly.

After he wrote down the four milkshakes, one water, and two salads, Mr. Russo made his way to the back booth. He knows these kids. On the left, Masie, a thin girl with bright and colorful hair, headphones around her neck, ripped jeans, and a rock n’ roll shirt, is from the public school not even three blocks from here. There’s a picture of her hanging over the bar of her New York 20th Art Award from last year, and she was holding the lovely painting of the Twin Towers in front of a sunrise. Next to her by the wall, sits Jerry, a boy with a pencil behind his ear, dark jeans, and a plain, dirty grey sweatshirt, just got off work at the Housing and Co. to hang out with his little brother, Derick. Derick sat across from him, a young boy with dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, computer open to the article, jeans, and a dark red skating shirt, reading aloud the article for everyone. Mr. Russo has a photo of Jerry and Derick hanging over the second booth, both boys covered in mud from their adventures in Canada last year. Next to Derick, closest to Mr. Russo, sits sweet Abigale, a bright, curly blonde girl, a colorful knee-high dress with birds on the fabric, black Converse, and dark lip sick, lean in to read the article closely. She gave him a phot of her at the science championship in Albany from two weeks ago; he’s still looking for a place to hang it, but, for now, it sits by the shop’s window.

“I’m telling ya, guys,” Jerry said as he leaned up. “That thing could take us all out in a heartbeat!” He tapped his screen as if he was proving a point.

“Whatever,” Masie said, crossing her arms, huffing air up to move her hair. “But, if it fights… or whatever it does for good, then we should trust it. Besides, it _did_ go after Spider-Man after the dude hurled him off.” She glanced up at Mr. Russo, saying, “I’ll take the cheese cake today. I had a day, Russ.”

He jolted it down as Derick said, “Well, did anyone see Spider-Man leave the water?”

“Don’t know,” Masie said nervously. She leaned back in her chair and called, “Hey, Officer Mary? Did you see anything?”

Mary turned her head and shook it. “Nah, kid. No one saw nothin’ after ta’ monster did a swan dive after the bug.”

On her left, Daniel, dark black skin, no hair, bright blue eyes, his uniform pressed neatly, turned and respond, “There was a report that Spidey did make out and stopped a bank robbery around nine last night.”

Jason, a pasty, pale, peach kid from the Bronx with dark brown hair and brown eyes, shiny shoes, said, “Can’t stop New Yorkers.” He over pronounced the ‘or’ in ‘Yorker’, but he wasn’t wrong. “We stan’ dow’ to no monsta,” he patted Daniel on the back.

“Amen, brother,” Ricco, a man from Arizona with honey-touched skin, dark brown eyes, dull down golden star, said on the other side of Mary. He was a bit big for a man his age, but it was all right with Mr. Russo.

Abigale tugged Mr. Russo’s sleeve and her hands moved in a fast motion, signing in a quick motion, asking: When will the cookies be done?

Placing the notebook between is arm, he answer: Soon, Abigale. Do you want the cookie milkshake again?

She nodded happily and gave a short grin.

“And you two boys?” Mr. Russo hummed. “Jerry with the Star Shake and Derick with a molt?” The boys nodded in agreement. “I’ll be back.” He rounded the counter and went towards the kitchen, leaving them to talk about the monster.     

Eddie kept staring down at this… molt with an ‘o’. Why the ‘o’? He could feel Venom move in his chest and slither up his neck. _I know, I know. I don’t like this either._

**_It’s not that, Eddie. Remember that I can’t spell very well? I’ve been on this dirt plant for nine months now. That’s enough time for mother to give birth._** Eddie nearly spat his milkshake out of his nose. **_But, Eddie, look._** He felt Venom turning their head at the kids. **_The girl in the dress. Look, Eddie._** Eddie watched the girl use her hands carefully to her friends. **_What is she doing?_**

_She can’t talk, Venom._ He turned around and took a drink. _She’s deaf. Can’t talk or hear. So, she uses her hands to talk and facial expressions to communicate._ Eddie glanced down the counter and met eye connect with Officer Mary. _I know how to do it. It was a requirement in my reporting class._ He gave her a short wave and took another drink before asking, “Need something, officer?”

The room almost went dead to his voice. “You’re Eddie Brock from California?” Her voice asked, sharp and loud. “What are you doing here?”

**_Here we go, boss._ **

“I’m here for a report,” he said leaning up from the counter. “Looking for Spider-Man, but, instead, I might be thrown on a different job.” He twirled the straw in his glass. “Boss called this morning wanting me to figure out why the… _Demon_ is here.” The very mention of the nickname makes Venom sick. “Can I have a quote by chance about last night about the bad guy?”

“Why?” the big officer asked. “What do you have to offer? Scandals and shit?”

“Tell you what,” Eddie spun around his stool, facing at the fat officer. He knows this game and he plays it so well. “I’ll tell you what I know about the beast and you’ll tell me about the Gas Mask guy. He was wearing a gas mask, right?” In his jacket, he pulled out a small notebook and a pen attached to the silver spiral. He flipped to a new page and held the notebook on in his hands. “Deal?”

He watched the officers’ head glance up at an older gentleman with grey hair and mustache. He was thin as a toothpick in his dark blue suit, but the silver shield shined to make him look strong. He stood up from his seat and made his way over to him. “What we know about this man,” he said as he stood behind his officer. “Is that he was able to slow down time at his own will, had the force to lift and break Spider-Man, and teleport.” Eddie took notes as he wrote. “They—Spider-Man, Gas Mask, and California Demon—had a bubble-looking-dome over them and it sped up time, or slowed down time. We don’t know yet.”

“Did he hire two-gun men?” Eddie asked thoughtful. “I saw the news last night that there were two gunners aiming at Spider-Man.”

“When we got the two, they said ‘no’, but I don’t buy that.” He shifted his weight on his feet and tucked his thumb in his belt lop. He looked like a cowboy. “Your turn.”

He’s turned half way for his molt with an ‘o’. He didn’t know why this bothered him. “This is what I know,” he turned back and the kids in the booth moved closer to hear what he had to say except the girl at the booth. She was looking at him with hallow eyes, bold and bright. He held up his hands as he felt Venom move curiously. He signed: Come over, kid. I’ll talk and sign at the same time. When he finished, a polite smile crossed her face as she stood and sat next to Masie.

“You can sign?” Jerry asked in shook.

Eddie nodded, saying, “Yeah.” His hands moved as he spoke. “I had to learn it during college for reporting class. Everyone had to pass the class before they could do their final.” He reached for his drink, let Venom suck the straw, then back around. “This is what I know. Stocks at night and can be passed around like a parasite.”

**_Excuses me? What the hell did you call me, motherfu—_ **

“Large, massive thing with teeth as sharp as you can imagine,” Eddie continued, ignoring Venom pouting. “They do eat humans, yes, and, sometimes, they eat the whole body. There’s some footage somewhere, I’m sure.” He stopped for a second and tried to remember the next sign for the girl. “I’ve seen them before—met them, actually.”

The kids’ eyes grew wide and an officer pulled out a notebook as the kids and asked. “On or off?” He asked in a heavy New York accent.

Eddie paused as he waited for Venom to answer. He can’t call all the shots for his friend. **_Off record. It’s better that way._**

Eddie didn’t sign when he said, “Off record. You can do the description of the guy, but not my account.” His hands began to move again. “It was after a shoot-out, and they ate one of the robbers’ head off. Not a good thing, really. Anyways, I found them in the back alley—“ Eddie stopped talking and signed to the girl: They were pissed, kid. She smile as her voice gave a scratchy giggle. “I was able to ask them what they were and what they could do, ya know? They showed how they can grow their skin and stretch. It was cool; they tried to eat me, but it’s okay.”

“You said they are like a parasite,” Masie leaned forward. Mr. Russo came out of the kitchen with a plate of chicken strips and fries, two salads, and four milkshakes. “What does that mean?” He left the room again and returned with the other orders.

Eddie cracked a smile at Venom, who was groaning in frustration. “They can take over a person at ease, but the person, from my understanding, can still live a normal life. They eat more, but they still look normal body wise. They’ll act different because, well, wouldn’t you act different, too?” He relaxed his hands on his knees. “After that, I never encounter them again.”

The cowboy pulled out his notepad from the shirt pocket. “Does it have a name? I don’t want to call it ‘demon’ in the reports,” Eddie could feel Venom perk up and was almost happy with the officer. “I think, honestly on record, that this thing means no ill will to the city, but it’s out there. If it eats someone, then we’ll have to arrest it.”

Eddie quickly wrote the quote down and felt a bit happy knowing that an officer doesn’t think they’re all bad. Eddie lifted his shoulders and cracked them, relaxing their muscles. “Well, officer, um… what’s your name, sir?”

“Donny Ranking, Deputy.”

Venom moved down his neck and circled his lower spine. “Venom,” Eddie said easily. “They said their name is Venom.”

The air was deathly still as a chill of cold air drifted down the kids’ spine. Venom could feel their hearts slowing down at the mention of their name as the girl in the bird dress eyes brighten. A radio cut the silence about a shoot-out at 53rd and Jefferson. “Copy,” said Donny roughly. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded at the others to follow.

“Put it on our tab, Mr. Russo,” Mary said as she slid off the stool. “I’ll come back for the shake later.”

“Very well,” his voice cracked politely. “Stay safe, Mary.” He waved at them as they left the shop to their cars in parked across the street. Mr. Russo hates these calls because, the last time there was a call, one of them was shot in the liver. He didn’t see them for a month, but they come back with the team for a salad.

Jerry stood up, groaning, “Great! Now work’s going to be hard with this thing out there.”

“You heard the reporter,” Masie said as she sat down in her spot. “It’s harmless and goes after the bad guys.”

“It’s only a matter of time before it turns dark,” Derick said grimly, his voice sending a chill down Eddie’s body. “Today, a bad guy, but, tomorrow, a teacher or a child or—hell—a cop.” He sipped on his drink. “We might as well get it out of the city before time runs out.”

The girl in the bird dress stayed at the table and stared at Eddie with hollow eyes. Her hands moved slowly at head, careful and eerily, her eyes bright and green. I know who you are, she signed. I know what he wants. Before Eddie could respond, she stood up and left the table back to her group.                         

Eddie spun on his chair and stared down at his drink and food. “Hey, Mr. Russo?”

Mr. Russo glanced over his shoulder as he finished putting the rest of the milkshakes in cups. “Yes?”

“Why is there an ‘o’ instead of an ‘a’? Not that I’m not upset, I just…”

Mr. Russo faced him and smiled wide at him. “There, Mr. Brock, is a story for you.” He rounded the corner and sat next to Eddie. He folded his hands and started his story. “I was eighteen when I married the woman of my dreams—the black and white photo in the golden frame above me is her—named Ashely about forty-nine-years ago. She was the brightest and happiest woman I’ve ever met in my life. A teacher, Mr. Brock, and a good one, too. She always cared about other people, and she was never afraid to fight others. We had three kids, two boys and one girl. We loved them both so much. But, before parenthood, I had to fight across the world for… some horrible reason that no one could say.”

“It was always raining in the jungles, everyday it was a pour down. I remember while I sat under a tent, the ditch began to flood, and my partner joked about it, saying, ‘If we aren’t careful, we might have to build a bridge got get over the molt.’ Then I would say, ‘It reminds me of a malt, the milkshake.’ His name’s Darry Litchen. He died an hour before he could go home by a sniper, but I didn’t mourn for him because he went out the way he always wanted to go. He flipped off the captain as he was shot.” He began to laugh. “I-I was too busy laughing to cry for him. He had a cigar in his mouth and a cheap grin on his face! He just—man, it was funny.”

“Anyways,” he brought himself down again. “When I came home and open this place, I named the chocolate malt as a chocolate molt in honor of him. I told him everything about this my café—he came up with the ‘Grub’ part because he made fun of our cook who, well, couldn’t cook. We were best pals back in the war, and he always had my back when there was a show down. This was his dream, really, the shop, so, I did it for him.” His eyes looked dreamily around the bar. “He wanted to open a sports bar, but the wife said no. I wasn’t going to argue because she was holding a knife. Happy wife, happy life, so there is no knife.”

“When we opened this, people around the neighborhood, when there as a good business across the street, they brought in photos and memories they wanted to keep but they didn’t want to forget. I thought it was okay, at first, but, now, there are memories around me that I don’t even know. Photos just appear sometimes, but I hang them anyways.”

Eddie didn’t realize that he was writing notes down on a new sheet of paper. “Have you had any celebrities come here before?”

“Sure. I’ll name a few,” Mr. Russo said. Pickles emerged from the back room and hopped on the counter. It jogged down towards Mr. Russo and it jumped on his shoulders. “By the jot box, I have a photo of President Gorge H. W. Bush sitting at the front corner booth. He was eating a chicken salad sandwich. After that, I renamed it ‘The Freedom Sandwich’. By the front window,” he turned his body and pointed up in the center. “The Queen of England—herself—came around Christmas time for a peppermint milkshake because she heard that I have the best milkshake around. She sat at the center table in the room. Her guards had grill chesses, milk, and some cookies to-go. The ‘Royal Shake’ is named after her along with the ‘Safest Meal’ after her guards.” He did a full 180 and Eddie joined along. “In the bright green frame—next to my son, Author, and under the church’s 180th Committee Meal—Lady Gaga came over for chicken strips, fries, and an organ Crush milkshake. Her car blow a flat and I was the closest food joint open. The meal—you’re having it—is named after her fan base, Little Monsters with Jumper’s Shake.”

“Where was she sitting?” Eddie asked after jolting down the story.

Mr. Russo held a twinkle in his eyes. “Where you’re sitting.”

“Whoa,” Eddie and Venom said. “What does your wife think of this?” He placed his pen on the paper.

“Well, she loved the idea,” he said, his voice lower. “She died three years ago to heart failure.”

Eddie didn’t move his pen, Venom tugged on his arm. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Russo,” Eddie said lightly.

Mr. Russo shoved it off. “It’s okay. She was happy about the shop, and she loved it. My kids are going to take over when I’m gone along with my grandkids. I’m not worried about it. This place became a home for friends, and those friends,” he glanced over his shoulder at the back table as a chorus of laughter erupted. “Became my family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's late! I have finals this week, so I wouldn't be able to post anything on Tuesday. I'll try and post on Thursday or Friday. Thanks!


	10. Friday Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When down on your luck, call the Dawns.

Peter didn’t enter the shop until 4:15, and his arm was bruised by a robber. If anyone ask, he’ll just say he fell or something. He hates lying, but it protects them. By this time, the shop only had Eddie, Mr. Russo, and Pickles at the counter, laughing.

“So—so—oh my gosh, man!” Eddie was breathless as he tried to talk, which made Mr. Russo laugh harder. “It was—oh, no—that’s the reason?” He lead down his low mouth from bursting into laughter.

Mr. Russo took a deep breath in. “Yes. That—that’s how I was able to freeze a beaver last Christmas!” Both of them were banging their hands on the table, laughing hard, Eddie holding his stomach. If Eddie wasn’t careful, he might roll onto the floor. Mr. Russo wiped away a tear and saw Peter. “Hello, Peter!” He smiled at him. “I’ll get your usual.” He eyed his computer bag. “Work time, Mr. Brock.” He left for the kitchen, and Pickles hopped off his shoulder.

**_Good story about a frozen beaver. Don’t know what a beaver is, but it sounds… strange._ **

Peter smiled at the voice in his head and at Eddie, knowing he wasn’t alone on hearing Venom. Peter placed the bag on the table and beckoned Eddie to sit with him to show him photos and a small map where… _Spider-Man_ hangs out. As he opened his bag, he responded to Venom. _A beaver is a water creature that looks like an oversized cat. Very fat, warm and thick skin, and can swim fast._ “Hey, Eddie. Ready to get this bread?” _I’ll explain later._

Eddie pulled out his chair and tossed his note pad on the table. “My next small story is going to be this shop. There’s so much about this place. If I write it good enough and get my camera crew up here, I could try to make this place a memorial or a historical landmark.” He flipped to a new page. “What’s the scoop, kid?”

“There was an attack on the bridge,” Peter said. “I was on the bus while the attack happened.” He pulled out his camera from his bag and slipped his chip in. “I was able to get a good shot of them.” He gave the camera to Eddie. “There were three of them—Spider-Man, this… the guy from California, and a guy in a gas mask. I couldn’t get anymore because my battery died.”

Eddie zoomed in. He was able to get a pitcher of them before time slowed. “Did you put in fresh batteries?” He asked glancing up at him then back at the camera.

“Yeah, it was working fine then the field came up.” Peter pulled out a notebook—a plane large green notebook—and opened to a page with notes and theories. “I think the guy who slowed down time uses energy around him. There were reports that car batteries need to be jump or replaced after the field. It just effected the cars within the dome, not the whole city.” He then pulled out a wooden pencil and began to write. “I got a quote from some drivers that were affected and they said the time sped up under the dome. One woman claims that the dome looked like a bubble, but there were sparks and ‘start dust’,” he air quoted ‘star dust’. “What did you get?”

**_He got a lot of things._ **

Eddie finished the quote and flipped to the other page from the Donny from earlier. “Deputy Donny agrees with the bubble dome and time speeding up. He and a team of cops were here earlier and gave me a quote while I gave information about the Demon—”

“Venom,” Peter said abruptly. “I heard that there name was Venom somewhere,” he collected himself again. “I did some research last night after I did homework.”

**_Sure you did, Peter._ **

_Please,_ Peter thought. _In the nicest way, stop talking._ Mr. Russo placed the drink in front of him and left to the back. “Did you get anything else?”

“Donny thinks that they’re not a threat or mean, and quote ‘no ill will’—end quote—that Venom wants to hurt anyone,” Eddie scratched his chin and tapped his notebook. “What do you think? Of Venom being here?”

Peter shrugged. “Don’t know. And the bag guy,” he sat up in his chair, “I never saw him before.” Peter leaned back in his chair. “Wish we could ask what happened in the bubble.”

“Why?” Eddie asked, knowing the answer. “Do you think they’re working together?”

Peter shook his head. “No, I think there’s something deeper. Like,” he had to stop and form his words without revealing too much. “Like, why did they slowed down time? There has to be a reason because no one slows down time for nothing, right?”

Eddie bit the end of his pen, thinking. “If I was an evil villain, what would I say?” He looked at Peter and asked, “Is there any big events coming up? Like fireworks or parades?”

“Well, yeah,” Peter answered “There’s the Lighting of the Lake to mark the first day of Spring—”

“That’s it,” Eddie said quickly.

“What?” Peter felt lost.

“Think about it for a second, Peter,” Eddie held up is hand and counted his points. “There’s going to be lots of power, people in a large—not to mention a crowded—area, Spider-Man’s going to be there for security reasons, and it’s the perfect spot to bring terror on the city if they don’t get what they want or make a point to the city. Hell, if I was evil, I would do that.” He sat up in his chair and leaned forward. “I would bring the city to its _knees_ if that meant gaining control.”

“With enough power like that,” Peter said as his head finished equations. “With power like that, he could make a vertex big enough to absorb a city block.” He felt his head tingling. He darted his head at the door and stared at it. “With enough power like that…”

“Everything could change,” Eddie breathed as he leaned back in his chair. They sat quietly in the shop and listened to the ceiling fan spin behind them. “You’re smart at math. How long would it take?” Venom made him ask.

Peter found a blank spot on his page and began to jolt down some numbers, mumbling variables and numbers. His pencil scribbled across the page thoughtfully and powerfully. He was on to something. “Time moved fasted, right? And the police reported that it took two to five seconds for the dome to disappear, which would be two or three minutes under the dome. Within that time, five or seven cars lost battery and had enough energy to move the car with him. With that being said, a high voltage of 1,023 should be able to take out a block under a minute. If higher, like say 2,780.47, then he could be able to take out five streets and two blocks in three minutes.” He placed his pencil down and looked at Eddie.

Both Venom and Eddie were impressed with his talent. “What the batter for the lake lights? How long would that take?”

“13,968 mega-watthours runs the nuclear plant, which some of the energy transfer over to the lights.” Peter three his head around as he wrote another equation on a sheet of paper. “About five minutes, but, if he’s in a rush, he could do it under five.”  

“We’re _way_ over our head.” Venom held his face in his hands.

“Believe me, I know,” Peter leaned back in his chair and stared at Eddie scared and in a blur. “What are we going to do?” He asked to himself. “What _should_ we do?”

Eddie fold his hands and place head on them, shutting his eyes. Eddie knew what to do, and he wasn’t proud of it. Asking for help is one thing, but asking for a second grader who was threaten not twenty-four-hours ago shouldn’t be on his list. Her mother should know, and, it is Friday, which means it’s Prayer Night at 7:30. Eddie checked the clock on the wall behind him then ran his fingers through his hear. “I know what to do,” he said finally.

Peter rested his head on his hand and sipped his milkshake. “What? Our hands are tied, Eddie. Who’s gonna believe two reporters?”

“I think we need to make a call.”

 

The phone rung twice before Lizzy answered happily. “Hello? This is the Dawns place; Lizzy speaking.”

“Hey, Lizzy, girl!” Eddie said on the other side, smiling. “How you doing, kiddo?”

Lizzy smiled happily and almost giggled. “Eddie! Hi! I’m good,” she sat on the coach. “I just back from school! There was a public speaker today, and he did magic tricks, Eddie! Like, real magic!”

“Did he pull a rabbit out of his hat?”

“Not just one, but _two_.” She held up two fingers as if he was there. “It was super cool!”

“Way cool, kid,” Eddie grinned on the other end. “So, do you remember that secret mission I’m on? The important one?”

“Toasts, man. I haven’t told Mama.” Lizzy took off her shoes and crossed her legs on the couch. “Why? Do you need to tell Mama?” She paused and remembered Mr. Flash from that night. “Is it about Mr. Flash?”

“Who?” Eddie and Peter leaned in. Mr. Russo cocked a brow as he cleaned the dishes to the name.

“Mr. Flash,” she answered. “He’s from across the street at the other apartment. The top floor across from yours. He has a green car, a bright green car.” She didn’t know this but Eddie had his mouth hanging open and Peter was about to lose it. She twirled her hair, saying, “Yeah, I thought it was weird at first, you know? So, I spied on him and—”

“You did _what_!?” Eddie could feel Venom about to jump out of his skin. “What—why did you do that?”

“Because you told me that in order to know the facts and the truth, you gotta break some rules to find it.” Eddie glanced up at Peter, who was looking down at the phone, up at him, and back down. “Also, you said that you’re not in trouble until you get caught.”

“Lizzy,” Venom slipped Eddie in the face and let his head rest. “Lizzy, sweetheart, no, honey, no.”

**_This is bad. This is very bad, but she is too cute for this shit._** Venom mumbled in their heads. Peter scratched his neck. **_Cute kid, Peter. Young, smart, pretty, and she loves cats. Wants cats, too._**

Eddie asked, “Well, did you learn anything?” He crossed his arms and leaned back.

“Sure,” Lizzy laid on her stomach and twirled her hair. “He has drinking problems and lost his daughter. Oh! He’s looking for you, too. He wanted me to pass that knowledge down.” Pause. “Have you found my cat yet? Not that I’m rushing or anything.”

“No, not yet, but I know where the store’s at.” He wasn’t expecting that answer from her, but at least she’s not hurt. If anything, he might be over reacting and she’s not talking about the Gas Mask guy, and, if anything, he might be overeating.

“Cool!” She smiled at the phone. “So, are you working right now?”

Eddie nodded as he answered. “Yeah, I am.” He looked at Peter and grinned. “You’re on speaker, kiddo, so that my partner and friend can hear you.”

There was a squeal of delight on the other end and a chipper voice follow. “Hello! I’m Lizzy.”

Peter leaned forward and said as he chuckled to himself. She sounds like a nice kid. “Hello, I’m Peter.” He smiled at the phone as if he was meeting her in person. _Lizzy. The same name the Gas Mask said to Venom._ “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Is the project hard?” She asked as her mother walked into the room. “I bet it’s hard because you called first before I did.” Ms. Dawn sat in her armchair across from her. “Do you want to talk to Mama? She’s in the room.”

Peter glanced at Eddie, who nodded, and he answered, “Yeah, I guess, Lizzy.”

“Okay!” She giggled like a small school girl as she passed the phone to her mother. “Mam, it’s Mr. Brock and his partner, Peter. They need help.’

“Hump,” she breathed. “Figures.” She leaned for the phone and nodded a ‘thank you’ at her daughter. “Go and fix yourself, hun. We have the dinner tonight.” Lizzy rolled off the couch and on the floor. As she raced off the floor and left to her room, Ms. Dawner asked, “So, what trouble are you in and how did it started this time, child?” She examined her nails and made note to get new painted nails tomorrow. “And don’t you dare blame it on that monster! I swear, Eddie, you and that thing are the same type of crazy and stupidity.”

“Thanks, Ms. Dawn,” Eddie said with a struggling sigh.  

“What do I owe the pleasure? And who’s the lucky kid to be partnered with you?”

Eddie imagined her sitting in her chair, checking her nails, and ready to drop some sweet gossip on the other floors. She’s the mother he never had but always wanted. “Well, Ms. Dawn, I’m not in trouble—”

“But you’re about to be?”

“Almost,” Peter answered. “I think we’re _almost_ in trouble.”

“Who is that? Did you put me on speaker? Never mind, it’s a pleasure to meet you, darling. So, tell me why are you calling? You found something, didn’t you? And you’re thinking about jumping head first but you want support from me?” She sat up in her chair. “Dear God, don’t you dare tell me you found something and you’re going to jump head first, Eddie.”

**_Damn, she’s good._** Venom’s voice rumbled impressed. **_I want her on our team._**

_Same here,_ Peter agreed. “Well, no, ma’am. Mr. Brock and I—I’m Peter, by the way—think that we found something but we’re not sure if we can do something with it because I think the police aren’t going to believe us without evidence to back it up.” He leaned back in his seat. “What should we do?”

Ms. Dawn bit her lower lip and began to think. “Normally,” she started, “I would say stay out of it because you can’t do it without help, but you got help.” She sat up in her chair again. “So, this is what I say. Go and tell them anyways. Tell and let them know about… whatever you’re. When that doesn’t work, figure it ourselves. You _are_ in New York, Eddie—you should try to find Spider-Man or that Demon thing. I know they’ll believe you.” Pause. “Please tell me you have an idea where they are. We can’t have the Demon running around in New York for no reason, and Spider-Man has too many villains to take care of… they should be the least of his worries.” She stood up from her chair and made her way to the kitchen. “But, what’s the real reason, Eddie? You never want to talk to me on a Friday.”

Eddie grasped the phone and took it off speaker. “Give me a sec, Peter,” he said, standing up. “Find a map of the lake and the lights. I think we found a story both bosses could be proud of.” He left the room and into the bathroom. “I also called about something else. A Mother Question.”

Lizzy rounded the corner and showed her mother her bright pink shirt and purple skirt with a purple bow in her hair, hanging loosely. Her mother nodded her head at her daughter then said to Eddie, “What do you need to know?”

Eddie leaned against the bathroom door. “My nephew, Flash, got a fever last night, and he hasn’t been able to break it.”

She felt her mother mode switching on. “Did you take off his socks? Cold rag over his forehead? Open the window?”

“Yes, yes, and yes.” He felt Venom slither out and rest on his shoulder. The bathroom’s lights reflected off the baby blue walls and yellow toilet. It was clean, but there some paper balls littered around the metal trashcan. “I’m worried about him.”

Ms. Dawn began to dig in her medicine cabinet. “How bad is he?”

“Bad enough that he pass out on the floor and dragged the tablecloth off.”

She pulled down a book-sized notebook. “Oh my, Eddie. That’s bad. Have you forced him to drink water?”

“Yes.”

She flipped in her notebook and landed on a page. “According to my mother’s notes, he needs water and orange juice. If there’s a tub, make him sit and have an ice bath if the fever doesn’t break tonight. If that doesn’t work, the hospital is the next option. Isn’t his mother good enough?”

“She didn’t come home last night,” Eddie answered in a low voice. “She’s been doing that for a while now. Henry, his dad, says they’re getting a divorce soon and he’s keeping Eddie, but he’s having a hard time trying to be a dad.” Eddie left the door and stood in the middle of the room. “I’m thinking I’ll have to bring him to California if things don’t get better here.”

She nodded slowly. “Does he have weird bruises and cuts on his body?”

“Yes.” Venom came up and held his phone as Eddie began to wash his hands. He didn’t have to, but he felt dirty. “And they’re not from football or baseball either. I already looked into it.”

She bit her lower lip. “We’ll talk about this later, Eddie. I have to get moving to the church. We have the dinner tonight.” She set the book on the counter. “I’ll throw your name in the requests along with your partner and the Demon.” He heard her grabbing for her keys. “That thing may eat people, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.” She pointed at the door at her daughter and left their cozy home after locking the door. “They’re a blessing upon this city and neighborhood, Eddie. And that Spider-Man, too, in New York.” She ushered her kid to the steps and headed down.

“Thanks, Ms. Dawn,” Eddie said, grinning at her name. She’s the Mom he never asked for, but he got her anyways. “Can you also put Flash and Peter in the hat?” He never ask for pray request before. Soon after he was down drying his hands, he was washing them again. “Please?”

She hummed with her mouth closed. “I will, Eddie. Worry about the report then come home, okay? Just remember that I’m in California, so I can’t bail you out.” When she reached the first floor, she grasped her daughter’s hand and went to the street. “Look both ways, darling,” she said to both her kids.

In unison, Eddie, Venom, and Lizzy answered, “I will.” Eddie dried his hands again and took the phone from Venom. “Thanks, again, Ms. Dawn. See ya real soon.”

“Okay, child,” she answered sweetly. “Bye.”

“Good-bye,” Eddie said, keeping his grin on his face when he hung up. As he slid his phone into his jacket, he looked in the mirror. He had a 5’oclock shade from his nap, but they still looked good. “Ready, bubby?” Eddie asked over his shoulder at Venom, who nodded, smiling. “Okay, let’s save the city.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'll post more on Thursday or Friday because I have finals this week. I will be writing more on the story, so be ready to be hit with feels during Christmas/Holiday this year!


	11. Buildings and Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How far is Venom and Eddie willing to go to make sure the fight goes on?

Eddie left the bathroom and fumbled for his wallet. They need to get to work on this project as soon as possible, and Eddie hated what has to happen next. They don’t want to do anything rash, but, if showing Peter what a true monster looks like and acts, it’ll make the… _fight_ easier for them both. Peter would have a reason to fight instead of, well, trying to become friends. Venom knew this was the best for them both, but… Peter’s a kid! Who would hurt a kid? Monsters. Monsters like them hurt children and they rule their nightmares forever. They didn’t want to do it, but, it’s for the best, right? You would do anything to save another, could you? They didn’t know, but they didn’t like this.

No.

Not one bit. The faster the better.

He threw a ten down on the table and said, “Come on, kid, let’s look for Venom.”

Peter glanced up at him in shock at his sudden boldness. “Really? Now?” He shoved his notebook in his bag and followed him outside. Wrapping his head, he went right and jogged to catch up with Eddie, who was on the phone talking to someone. Right as he made it to Eddie, he hung up and spun on his heel. “Do you have an idea?”

“I have something, kid,” Eddie said, his head at the street. “If I was Venom, where would I be hanging out?”

Peter blinked. “I don’t think I follow.”

“If we want to tell Spider-Man and Venom what the hell is going on,” Peter watched his eyes swirl in a milky white and vanish as it came before. “We should find the perfect hang out.”

Peter blinked again. “Explain in more detail, please.”

Eddie patted his shoulder. “I have an idea so crazy that it just. Might. Work.” He smiled at him and nodded his head back to the street. “If there’s anything that I know about Venom from my experience, they like dark, old, lonely buildings that can look over the city or neighborhood of their liking.” He let out of Peter and continued down the street.

Peter stood still on the sidewalk, processing what he heard. No way, there is no way Eddie knows where they are. There is no way Eddie knows Venom that well… right? He thought back t the sandy shore from yesterday. Venom was talking to their host about Eddie and how he could hear them like he can. Does that mean that he can hear them wherever he goes or when they're near so he could write a story? He glanced up at Eddie, who was a few steps ahead of him, and bit his lower lip. There is so much Peter could understand about a person's life, and there is so much that could be said in real life. Eddie is here for the next two or three days until he has to go home and do a television report. With luck, he might add Peter in the report as a shout-out. So, this report must work, even if that means following his hero somewhere dangerous. “Wait!” Peter jogged again to keep up with Eddie at the crosswalk. “You’re not saying that we should…”

“That we should hunt Venom down and have them talk to Spider-Man? If that’s what you’re asking, then, yes, that’s what we’re doing.” They made it to the other side and kept walking. “From what I’ve learned, they like to be alone, and they have, I don’t know, social anxiety? Weird, huh? For a monster to have that.”

Peter caught up to him at his shoulders. “What if they want to be alone? What if—”

“‘What ifs’ keep you back, Peter,” Eddie rounded a sharp right; Peter knew where they were going. “After you left home, I found a building that’s about to fall, a perfect place for them.” He continued to walk down the sidewalk, and, from his coat pocket, Peter saw a thin, black thread. "Before we start," Peter strived to his side. "Can you tell me where this sudden, um, boldness came from?" "Sure," Eddie said as he shoved his hands in his coat pocket. The black thread disappeared. "There are to possibilities. One: I got a nice pep-talk from Ms. Dawn, or two." Eddie stopped walking and gave him a cheap smile. "This is  _The Greatest Showmen_ soundtrack talking, but I feel great about this idea. I got that soundtrack on lop, Peter." 

He wasn't lying. At first, Eddie didn't like musicals because they felt... a bit too much for him. He could stand a Disney movie, but not a musical with real humans. When the movie came out, Venom begged Eddie to take them to the movies to see it because they saw a commercial on T.V. about it. Eddie hated going to the movies because he was always alone, but he has Venom now. Venom was as gitty as a school girl on cake when the movie start. Eddie didn't want to watch it, that was before he saw the Wolverine in a red jacket singing perfectly. Then he saw the colors and heard the melody in each song. He glanced around the room and saw everyone's face light up at the music, their minds lost and out of their minds. He looked forward at the screen and watched the movie with Venom. Venom came out and held his hand when the red-haired girl was singing how things were never enough. She was right. Eddie was never enough without Venom, and he felt better again with them near. At the end of the movie, Eddie immediately downloaded the soundtrack and would listen to it when they're about to do something really stupid, crazy, or mildly insane. Normally, "From Now On" gets them going then "This Is Me". Eddie glanced over at Peter. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

Peter could name about seven things that could happen. "I guess nothing, but the odds are very high."

"Like, how high are we talking?"

"It's a More-then-Likely-Odds." The crossed the street again then turned left. "Chances are ninety-five to a hundred percent chance of getting killed this part of town." He didn't mean to be negative, but he's not lying. Last week, there was a gun fight at Topper's Strip Club over a girl.

"I like those odds." Eddie was confident. Too confident. Of course he was confident. All he had to do is act like himself and Venom could take over to scare... His mind thought it over again. This was an awful idea. A knot twisted his stomach like a knife. Last night, Peter wanted to be friends with Venom, and Venom does, too, but this has to happen in order to get close to the Gas Mask. The other way with getting Ms. Dawn involve, and the last and final thing he wanted was his family getting involved. The only pro he could see was Peter getting a raise and into college. He has a bright future, he just needs a push to be noticed for his work, and Eddie was is option to give him that story. "Don't worry, Peter," Eddie nudged him playfully. "Everything is going to be fine. I promise that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you." They crossed the street and turned at a green dumpster.  

This part of the neighborhood is the worst part. When Peter was a kid, not old enough to walk, there was a fire and a riot, a war between police and mobs. It started out as an argument, a simple argument about parking on the wrong side of the road, then it exulted to a firefight. Fires burned down buildings and glass exploded on the streets. Cars were either burned or caught in the middle of the shoot-out. The war went on for two days before the National Guard was called in, ant, at the end, there were seventeen arrests and thirteen dead—seven mobsters, five cops, and one National Guard. After that, nobody wanted to live in the area without feeling the ghost and hearing the echoing gunshots in the building. The glass from the fight littered the ground still along with blood stains on the sidewalks and road. This area is fenced off to people, but there are ways in and out for local drug dealers and mob executions on Harvard Street. It’s just one stretch or road, but it’s cut off from the world. It’s rumored that the state is going to buy the land and turn it into something better, but that’s not going to happen due to funds and taxes around here. It's almost like Washington Heights on the other side of the bridge, and, here, everyone and everything is cheap. Peter likes that because he gets to meet people and cultures school doesn’t teach. He’s done stories in the area, but nothing was good enough for his boss. Maybe that’s why he’s so excited to work with Eddie Brock on this story. Maybe, just maybe, this story could get him a raise and impress Eddie enough to get him a real reporting job like him. For now, he wishes on stars, cars, and street lamps for that day to come.

They stood at the fence, Eddie with his hands on his hips, Peter with his arms crossed. “We gotta get over the fence,” Eddie said, rolling his shoulders, popping bones and muscles. “Know away or do we have to jump it?” He glanced at Peter then back at the fence, Eddie’s eyes glimmering boldly, determinedly.

“There’s a hole about twenty-five yards from us on the left,” Peter pointed, Eddie leaving, following his finger. “You really want to do this?” He followed close behind him. “Because this place, Eddie, is bad news.” They came up at the opening. Getting on his hands knees, Eddie went under and waited on a knee for Peter to come over.

“We’re reporters, Pete,” Eddie said, standing up. “We find the news and report it.” Eddie helped up and brushed off his shoulders. "That's why we are reporters. Two reporters in New York." He didn’t even brush his pants off when he walked towards the broken neighborhood. “Come on, I think I know which building.”

Because Peter wanted to, he picked up a rusted pipe and caught up with him. There are three buildings on both sides on the street before it’s cut off by a brick wall too high for anyone to without help. One the left, a house-sized building is burned to nothing, a half standing three-storied apartment—Peter could see a body from the ground on the second story, resting but not sleeping, breathing but not moving—and the last one was an outlined of a drugstore. One the right, two perfect, three-story building, stood with broken windows and rotting wooden doors, and the last building was no more but a standing doorway without a home. Two burnt cars sat on each side of the street, one a van, the rest a car. Glass shined under the sun, staining blood and glitter forever, and they reminded Venom of home.

Well, not California home, but Home-home. He was alone most of his life on the lonely rock, he would spend his time watching, names, tracking, and counting stars over his head, his legs hanging over the ledge, smiling up brightly at them. He found him happiness in the stars over him along with neighboring galaxies. Colors so bright that they hurt his eyes if he looked too long, but it was so beautiful. Colors over him like a bright, yet, soft purple, misty baby blue clouds, splashes of pinks and greens here and there, swirling together in diamonds and broken glass. Venom believed stars, like many, are dreams and stories, and, like the hopeless fool he was, he tried to name them all, day dreaming about hero stars and lover tales, dancing and sliding across the Milky Way. That's one of the only things he misses about home, and it's the only reason why he would go back. Truth to be told, even if he did go with Riot to bring back million others like themselves, he would still be alone looking up at the stars and the night sky. Then he would try to name all of Earth's stars and give them stories. Now a days, Venom wants to give the stars and the moon to Eddie for being his host and letting them live with each other. 

The more Venom thought about it, the more gayer it sounded.  ** _Hum, what do you know? I am in love with this moron. That's a bit gay._** Peter stopped and looked around him while Eddie kept walking, keeping himself from laughing as Venom's voice rumbled lightly, almost laughing.  ** _Hey, Eddie! I'm gay for you! Let me be gay for you._**

 _Oh, my gosh, Venom. Stop it._ He looked back at Peter.  _You're making the kid nervous! He already has anxiety. We don't need to give him ideas!_ Eddie glanced back at Peter was taking large steps towards him. _He's already nervous!-_  

Peter tapped Eddie’s shoulder nervously. “There’s a body over there, Eddie. I think it's dead,” his voice cracked then he swallowed hard. “I don’t like it here.”

“I know, I know—I saw the body, too,” Eddie answered. “But we gotta keep moving, okay?” They stood in front of the double apartments. “In there,” Eddie nodded. “I know he’s in there.” Without saying anything, Eddie step on the sidewalk and let the way to the house. Weeds and vines over-grew the house, and stared at them with darken eyes. Eddie came to the door and pushed the doorknob—

**_Don’t open the door._ **

“Eddie, wait,” Peter’s voice cracked again. “I think something’s wrong.”

He stepped back and glanced at the door again. “Now that you mention it, yeah—something’s off.” Looking left and right, he found a window. “Window?”

 **_Better._ **Eddie could see a flash of happy hands clapping.  ** _You are very smart._**

“Y-yeah. That works,” Peter stammered over his words. “I don’t like it here,” he said again, rubbing his arms. He wasn’t cold, he felt dirty around the house. “Can we leave?”

“Not yet.” Eddie went to the broken window and stepped through. Once over, he held out his hand for Peter. “Come on, I got you, Pete.”

Peter felt a nudge in the back of his head. **_It’s okay. Go. Eddie has you._**

He took a deep breath, crawled through the window, his feet hitting broken glass, and littered beer cans. The paint was pealing, mode in the corners, and the concrete floor, in the center, had a deep red stain. Eddie turned up his corner and led the way out. “We’re close,” he said over his shoulder, stepping in the hallway.  He looked both ways as he waited for Peter to stand behind him. “You’re going to hate this, but we gotta split up.” Eddie glanced over his shoulder. “Think you can handle that?”

Peter swallowed hard. “Sure, Eddie,” his hand gripped the pipe tighter. “Look around for five—ten minutes then meet back here?” Peter didn’t realize it, but his knees were locked.

“Sounds like a good deal,” Eddie patted his shoulder. “I’ll go left, you go right. Meet back in minutes.” With that, they left each other.

Peter gripped the bar and held it like a baseball bat, holding it up, ready to swing. He hates it here and being in the building all together. With the crimes in the area and the executions that have been taking place, He wanted to leave as fast as he can. Why would Eddie enter without fear of the place? Has he seen worst? If he did, what was it? Peter glanced in the rooms and found them empty. If he was Venom, he would be hiding on the third floor where no one could reach without a rope. Luckily, Peter can climb. Eddie was far away for him to swing up to the floor with a thread.

He landed on the wooden floor carefully, keeping in mind that the build could fall. In his right hand, he held up halfway above his chest. The floor creek under his feet when he walked across the floor. No one seemed to be up here. Noting was moving and nothing was breathing or resting. He was alone; truly alone, but he still looked in each room. At the end of the hall, when he rounded a corner, his feet caved under him and fell through the floor. He landed on his stomach, feeling his back crack, and the pipe rolled to the other side of the room. He groan painfully to himself as he rolled on his back—

Over his head, on his left, dead, cold, empty eyes stared down at him.

 

**“…and that’s why I don’t like eggs.”**

Eddie glanced at his shoulder then back at the rooms. “That was the worst reason why you don’t like eggs.” Eddie stepped into an empty room. “Don’t feel him moving anymore?” He cocked an eye up at the ceiling. “Because we can’t smell him anymore.”

After leaving Peter, which they felt guilty for doing, Venom hyphen Eddie’s senses to follow his sent. It sounds weirder if you say it out load. Oddly, Peter didn’t smell like oranges as they originally thought, he smelt of soft lavender and fresh mint. The smell sent a shiver down Eddie’s spine when they were close to him. They didn’t know why this was a surprise to them, really—they thought an orange smell would fit him, that’s all.

Venom curled around Eddie’s neck and stretched to the ceiling then his tiny head began to shake. **“No. He was here though, above us.”** He came back down and seeped under his skin again. **_Danger, is he?_**

 _No, I don’t think the kid should be._ Eddie glanced around in the room as if he was looking for something. _I think he might be waiting for us to leave, but we—you really—have to show yourself to him._ He turned on his heel and turned right down the hall, leaving the room. The place was giving Eddie an uneasy feeling from the floorboards up. So many bloodstains but no bodies. Where did they go? Maybe the rats ate them from the last room they were in? Whatever the reason, Eddie tried to forget the dead bodies and blood. They reminded him of the first night Venom took over inside of his workspace and the police were there. The echo of crunching bones made his hair stand and mouth tasted like salt.

The building was silent and cold. Nothing moved or echoed. Eddie sighed to himself as he rubbed the back of their neck. This was a trying day with adoption paper for Flash and his sister, but he knew she was safe with her best friend. He hated leaving those kids alone for the past three days, four if he was counting today. If he did adopt Flash, would he move to New York or have Flash move to California with him to start over? He already has friends here, and he has a college coming for him for football. His sister told Eddie she already lives with her best friend and doesn’t come home unless she has to. Good kid… good kid. If it came down to the wire, Eddie might have to move here, leaving his home and Lizzy behind. Starting over is a good thing, Eddie knows from first hand.

**_Wait!—_ **

A loud, blood curling scream came from the second floor that sent Eddie running, bolting to the other side of the building. _V, stay in until I see something!_

His hand wrapped around a post to help him turn the corner. His legs strived up the wooden steps, lunging over broken and missing ones. Peter’s scream became louder and louder. “Kid!?” Eddie shouted as he reached the top of the steps. The scream was coming from all angles. “Kid? Kid!” He went with his gut and went left, sprinting, smelling, down the hall, his head glancing in each room. “Peter!”

Suddenly, there was silence. Cold. Dead. Silence. Venom moved nervously in his head. **_Eddie?_** His voice cracked, black threads beginning to stich on his fingers. They didn’t move until they heard someone running behind them. Eddie snapped his head over his shoulder—

Knocking heads with Peter. Eddie stumbled backwards and held his hands on his brow. “Fuck, kid.” His took his hand from his brow and saw blood. “Shit.” He glanced back at Peter who had his back on the floor. “What the hell, Pete—?”

“I found a dead person hanging in a room and I want to go home now.” Peter’s voice was even and quick. “Please?”

Eddie stood up and glanced down. His head was spinning. “Where?”

Peter didn’t look at him, his eyes wide and in terror. “Why do you want to know?”

 ** _He’s right, Eddie._** Peter shot up like a bullet and looked around wildly. Venom’s voice rung in his ears. **_Why do you want to know about the body?_**

“They’re here,” Peter said, his voice shaking.

Eddie blinked confused until his mind clicked. He didn’t feel Venom inside him anymore—he didn’t even know when he left! This was the best way of getting his attention rather than seeing. Being as dumb as he already was, and a smartass if he wasn’t bosting, he asked, “What?”

 ** _Are you scared, yet, Spider?_** Peter felt as if a snake slithered around his body. **_You should be at what I can do._**

Bravely, Peter asked aloud, “Where are you?”

 ** _Somewhere you can see, Peter._** The way he said his name… Peter didn’t like it. Venom acted as if he owned his name with passion. He didn't like how soft and gentle Venom said "Peter"; no, he didn't like it. It was curling around his body uncomfortably. **_Tell us something, Peter… what do you fear the most? Death or bodies?_**

“Look, listen,” Peter took a deep breath in. “We just came to tell you something important, and, if you say ‘no’, I’m telling you anyways.” His back was turned from Eddie as he continued to talk. “There’s something big that’s about to happen in four days that concerns the Gas Mask and this city. He might swallow the city whole.” Peter swallowed nervously. The hallways suddenly felt darker. _Please, just… help me out on this._

A deep rumbled laugh came behind him. **“Oh, Spider,”** Peter felt his blood turn into ice. **“He’s the least of your problems.”**

Peter didn’t want to turn around. “Pete?” Eddie’s voice asked as he stood next to him. “Please tell me that you heard him, too.” Peter said nothing. “Yeah, I didn’t hear it either.”

The hallway grew dark. Black thread weaved in and out of the walls and floorboards. “Eddie?” Peter asked. “Wanna leave?”

“Yeah,” Eddie’s voice cracked. “This was one of those ideas that never work anyways.” Both stepped back, Eddie looking at the steps. “I gotta plan, and you’re going to hate it.” He looked at Peter and Peter looked at him. “I’m going to go first, you follow—”

“I already don’t like this,” Peter’s hands touched the wall behind him.

“If something should happen—”

“No.”

Eddie repeated himself, keeping himself calm again. “If something should happen, run and don’t stop. Ready?” He leaned his head at him then back at the ink floor. He had to hand it to Venom for recreating the floor from “Bendy and the Ink Machine”. If he didn’t know it was his alien boyfriend/husband, he would be scared. His fingers counted down to three as Peter continued to shake his head, pleading him not to go. Once he hit one, Eddie was the first to sprint to the steps, Peter following close behind on his heels.

They leapt over a pool of ink and bolted down the steps. Inky arms reached through the walls and ceiling as the climbed down. Eddie couldn't believe how much strength Venom had to do this. This may be the wrong place and time, but Eddie already thought of what their home was going to look like for Halloween, and he already thought of the cosplay he could do with Venom; they could dress like Bendy. Damn, they would look so freaking cool! Eddie shook his head at the picture and came back. _Right, running for their lives from Venom. Got it._  

Eddie pushed Peter back and a claw-like hand scratched his face. He hissed through his teeth as he grasped Peter by the shirt and pulled him forward before he was suckered punched in the gut. It hurt; Venom felt it. Eddie pushed himself up and pulled Peter along down the steps to the room they entered from. Peter grasped him by the arm and pulled him back before a black ink could hit him again in the head. Once the ink was gone, the hurried in the room to the window. When they were are the window, a dark shadow cast over them. Venom stood in the hallway in a pool of silky black ink and goo, and they didn't have a human to help them. Honestly, it was an awesome moment for Eddie see this, but he remembered the role he had to play for this to work. Eddie quickly turned his hand and pushed Peter out the window. "Run, kid!"

Peter tumbled on the concrete porch and into the dirt. Eddie was stronger than he thought. He leaned on his side as his eyes searched for Eddie in the lawn. Then his eyes fell on the house. From outside of the apartment building, Peter watched the house being consumed by thick black threads and nets ripping the build apart, wrapping around each brick. He could hear the pipes and metal being ripped and torn, breaking in a million pieces. Peter shot up as he started to house... until the building came crashing down.

When the dust settled, Peter's head glanced wildly around. He couldn't see Eddie around the building. "Eddie!" He yelled, hoping he would answer. His heart was racing against. "Eddie? Eddie! Mr. Brock!-"

His head began to tingle again and his hair stood on his arms. He threw a wed out at a loose brick is held it in his hand and was ready to throw it. Behind him, Venom held Eddie by his hands, holding him up by the arms. Eddie's eyes was shut, but he was breathing. He has a bloody nose and a large scrap on his arm. Peter's hand began to shake.  **"Keep away from us, or, the next person,"** He held up Eddie like a rag doll and tossed him at the feet.  **"Will be dead by your hands."**

Peter threw the brick at him, but Venom fell to the ground and disappear under the ground. Venom moved under the soil and carefully entered inside his host, feeling sorry for hurt him and would be unable to heal him in front of Peter. The one thing that makes this day even worse for Venom, was seeing Peter's face, cold and filled with rage. The brick bounced and rolled before breaking in half across the street at him in front of the building with the dead body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just doing one chapter tonight. Finals are really killing me at the moment, but I wanted to post this chapter real fast before I start studying for my last one tonight. I hope the long chapter makes up for not posting the next chapter until Sunday! I hope y'all enjoyed! :3


	12. Satrun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again/ I tried to write it down/ but I could never find a pen/ I'll give anything to hear/ you say it one more time/ If the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes."  
> ~The Score, Saturn

No one asked if he was all right when he threw-up in that afternoon when his mother came home. Flash was holding on the toilet bowl when she walked in from… wherever she was. After his father’s shift and heard him when he got home, he placed his keys on the table and left the room. This was 4:15—the same time Peter met up with Eddie. His chest hurt when he breathed, and his skin felt as if it was on fire. His eyes were itchy and watery when he blinked or kept his eyes open for too long. His skin was screaming when he tried to take a cold shower, but he almost passed out standing. Flash could see straight for the whole day, and he couldn’t hold down his food—only water. Eddie and Venom took care of him from that night to today, taking turns waking him up to drink and move for a while—Eddie even called the school for him. Have he left for Greenburg Grub.

How did he even get the luck of teaming up with Peter Parker?

Sure, he’s a nice guy, but… he’s a _nerd_ —

Flash lurched his head forward in the toilet bowl again. How did he get this sick? He always keeps healthy. Always. He eats right and works out regularly, so why is he this sick? It didn’t matter, though, he should be better by tomorrow as long as his fever breaks. There’s some hope. Tomorrow will be Saturday, and he gets to go out on his city walk. It’s the same things in the city that keeps him going, and the small things make everything better, but, for now, he’s on his knees in the guest bathroom.

There was a soft knock at the door, two taps and no more, but it was enough to make him jump. “Eugene?” Her voice echoed on the other side, but it was still kind. “May I come in?” His head perked up from the bowl, and he was going to answer but threw his head back at the bowl. Nuke-warm liquid splattered in the water, burning his throat. “Okay, I’m coming in.”

Jesse Thompson, his little sister, the only person on this planet that he would take a bullet. He loves her so much. Short blonde hair hung at her shoulders with a dark blue ribbon tied, and had hopeful eyes always glimmering even after their father finished hitting one of them. Jesse had her hair pushed back today to show off her dark blue earrings. Her red jacket hung open to show off her new Liberty Bell shirt her friend got her for her birthday this week. Her jeans had a hole in her on her left knee, but she still looked good. In politeness, Flash flushed the toilet so she didn’t have to see the mess he’s making. He wanted to get up, but his knees gave out under him. Her hands were on his chest and helped him lean his back against the tub.

“Sis, stop,” his voice dragged, trying to avoid her touch. “I’m fine.”

Jesse rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and I’m going to be prom queen this year.” She patted his shoulder. “Eugene, remember the time when you ate Grandma’s casserole?”

“And I was sick an hour later? Yeah,” he grinned at her. “I remember. Do I look _that_ bad?” They both began to laugh on the bathroom floor. He hasn’t heard her laugh in what felt like ages. “What you doing here?”

Jesse shrugged. “My big brother is sick, and Mom can give two cares on the interstate about that. When I came in, Dad was pouring a drink—might be a bad night if Uncle Eddie doesn’t get here soon enough.” She placed her hand on his cheeks then his forehead. “Eddie did text me about the fever. It hasn’t broke yet, has it?” Jesse was so careful and wonderful when he was sick or hurt. She took her time with him to make sure she was doing things correctly. He saw that she was going to be a good mother one day once a man finds her. She wants kids. Three of them. One girl and two boys. Doesn’t matter the order as long as she gets them. “I’m going to get a wash rag for you. You look like Death just got out of bed after a wild party on Christmas Eve.”

 His laughing turned to coughs, and he held on the tub as if his life depended on it. Flash nodded his head then hung low. “I don’t feel good, Jess,” his throat hurts from the last three-hours of throwing-up nothing. What’s wrong with him?

“I know, bro, I know,” Jesse her matched his low voice. “I’ll call Eddie to see when he’s coming—”

A loud crash came from down stairs then a loud bang. An echo of their mother scream rang out then faded as it came. Jesse reached for the door, shut, locked, and pulled out her phone. He may be sick and felt as if he was going to die in ten minutes, but he’ll be damned to Hell before she gets hurt. Digging inside, Flush grasped her hand. Her eyes snapped back drowning in terroir and fear. She crawled back next to him on the floor and squeezed his hand tightly. He wrapped an arm around her and shielded her from the locked door. His eyes were scanning and his ears listened to everything. Harry shouldn’t be that crazy enough to break down Eddie’s door, right? He tucked her head in his chest, and she squeezed his hand tighter until he thought she was going to break it.

Another crash came from down stairs and made her jumped. He let go of his hand as he wrapped both of his arms around her. What drink was it tonight? Kenny? Jack? Jim?—which boy was over tonight?

“Do you have Eddie’s number?” He mumbled as another crash came followed by yelling. Flash’s eyes began to swerve between sights and waves.

“Yeah,” her voice cracked. Something was thrown against the wall, and it was close to Eddie’s room.

“Call them, now.” He got one knee, letting go of her. “Now, Jesse.” His fist tights as he leans against the toilet. _No,_ he thought. _I can’t be losing now!_

“Eugene!” A loud man’s voice boomed on the other side of the door, but it wasn’t in the room. “Where is your whore sister!?” Then bangs on the bedroom door. “I know she’s in there!”

Flash pulled himself up and glanced around the small bathroom. Nothing to fight with, nowhere to hide without leaving the room. “Jesse,” he said as he stumbled to get up. He was in no condition to fight anyone. “I need you to get out and call Eddie.”

“But, Eugene—”

“Don’t argue, Jesse,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “Trust me on this, sister.” His hand slipped over the door handle. “I need you to run.”

“But—”

The bedroom door was being kicked, and their father was out of control now. “Let me in, now!”

There was no time to fight with her. He grasped her hand and pulled her off the floor. He unlocked the door, opened the door, and hurried her to the window. _Thank God. He kept the window open._

Just as they got to the window, the door burst down, and he was still holding the long neck of Jim. Flash snapped his head at Jesse and gave her a grin as he pushed her through the window. He slammed the window down and was just about to lock it when his father came over and threw him backwards. He tumbled on the bed then on the floor to get back up again. He grasped his father by the shirt and tossed him aside to finish locking the window. Jesse stood on the other side of the window, tears streaming down her face, shaking her head at him. For a moment, they placed a hand on the window glass, Flash mouthing to her to leave, begging her to run, and Jesse shaking her head at him, pleading him to come with her. Flash heard a grunt and mumbles on the floor and legs scrapping the rug to get up. He turned his back to Jesse and leaned back on the glass, his hands on the window frame, gripping the wood, as his eyes watched his dad stand up. The bottle didn’t break, but there was a brown stain on the rug.

“Move,” his father mumbled drunkenly.

Eddie stood his ground as his head did laps around his mind. The room was spinning faster than the world. “No,” he managed to stay, putting his hands up. “I’m not moving.” His breath was heavy and strong. “I wouldn’t move for you or anyone.” His stomach want to throw up, but he didn’t let it. “I move for no one.”

His dad bit his lower lip. He took a long drink from the bottle and then rolled up his sleeves. “You never listen, do you?” He tossed the bottle to the side, crashing on the wall to break. The brown glass looked like stars under the scars and blood. “Just like your mother.”

Flash rolled a shoulder as he kept his glare on his father. He said nothing.

He father came at him in a, well, flash, taking him to the wall, breaking the lap in the process. The feel to the floor and tumbled over each other. His father was over him as he brought down his hands in Flash’s chest and socking him in the head. If he wasn’t beefed up on medication, he would be pleading with his father, but he didn’t feel a thing. Flash threw up a left hook in the jaw then hit him under the chin with his right. His father fell off him, but it take more than that to hold down a drunk. As Flash rolled on his stomach to get up, his father took the broken lamp’s cord, sat on top of Flash, and wrapped the cord around his throat twice. His nails pulled at the white cord, but his father held a grip. Flash’s hand reached up at his father’s hand and tried to make him loose, but nothing was happening.

“Do you think I enjoy doing this?” His voice barked as Flash choked. “Huh!? Do you!?” Violently, he pulled the cord back, tightening his grip on his son.

Flash forced his back to flip over towards the bed frame, and his father lost his grip on the cord. Choking, wheezing, Flash hurried off the floor towards the door, but his father grasped his foot again, causing him to fall. He hit the floor and kicked his leg back, hitting his father in the nose. He moved again, bolting off the floor towards the door. He was outside the door—

 

“Uncle Eddie!”

Eddie bolted off the grey couch, but held his side. Why did Venom have to drop a building on him? “Jesse? Jesse! What’s wrong?”

He was at someone’s house. There was a nice circled rug on the floor under a circular table. The room was a light grey, a soft and happy grey he would see after a cloudy day. Pictures hung on the wall with smiling faces and memories. He saw Peter in front of the Statue of Liberty. There were three lamps in the room, all turned off, and a blanket over his chest. Eddie woke up to his phone going off next to his ear. His head was pounding when he answered, Venom moaning when their eyes opened. He didn’t even say ‘hello’ when Jesse screamed in the phone.

He stood up from the sofa and let the blanket hit the floor. “Jesse, say something!”

Peter rounded the corner with a glass of water and two blue pain relievers, but stopped when he saw Eddie on the phone. He passed the glass of water on a nightstand with a lamp and back up slowly until he was out of sight. He pressed his back against the wall and held his breath as he listened to Eddie talk, his voice rising in anger and fear.

“What? Okay, okay, don’t worry. I’m on my way—what? What? **_What!?_** ” Peter’s hair on his arms stood. “Flash—I’m coming!” He shouted, pulling his shoes on. “Go somewhere safe, Jesse. Get out of there! GO to the neighbor, but get out of there! We’ll get you later!” Eddie fell to the ground but was up again with his shoes on. “I’m coming!” He hung up and jogged pass Peter.

“Wait, Eddie,” Peter called, grasping the water and pills. “Where you going? What’s happening?” He handed the pills and water to him.

Eddie took the pills and chugged the water down. Venom was bursting at the seams. “I need to go, Peter. Something is happening to my nephew and niece.” He threw over his hoodie. “Can I come back with them? One’s sick and the other might be shaken _real_ bad.”

“Sure,” Peter said as he showed him to the door, jogging. “I’ll tell my aunt—”

“Thanks, Pete,” Eddie patted him on the shoulder. “You’re saving two lives.” He raced out of the house and down the neighborhood street. Before he even turned the corner, Venom had already took over. Along the street, a bright green car turned on their lights on and followed behind the dark mass.

 

Flash was in the main hall when his father tackled him again. Flash came up, swinging his arm, only for his father to dodge and jabbed him in the stomach. Flash stumbled backwards, holding his stomach, and threw-up on the carpet. His mother is going to kill him—

A large hand bashed him in the head. He collapsed on the carpet and his father got on top of him again, whamming down at him. Flash was screaming by this time at his father to stop hitting, begging him to stop after every hit. A fist slammed down at his throat and made him choke and gag. He held up his arms to soften the blows, but even that didn’t work. His arms began to hurt as the hits began to hurt. His skin was numb and bleeding as he covered his face. He could feel his left eye began to swell up, but he kept his eyes open as the blows came down hard.

“Eugene!” His father’s voice roared as he slammed his arms down on each side, quickly raising his hands again. The punches came down like bullets and rain, hitting him in the right spots to make Flash feel less. “I want you to look at me! Damnit!” Another hit came down and Eddie was praying to whoever was up there to take him now. “Look at me!”

He last and final blow hammered down at him, breaking the glass around him. He could hear everything now, his breathing, his blood pumping out of his body, his heart slowing down within his vines and echoing in his ears. His nose was blooding. He knew because he could taste it in his mouth. He looked up at his father weakly then looked around the room. His mother was passed out in a pool of blood, her eyes opened, staring at him. A hard hand and smack came down on his face then forced him to look up. He could smell the alcohol on his father’s breath, heavy and strong. Tonight, his father wasn’t playing around with him.

He felt his hands run over his neck and his thumbs pressed down. Slowly, Flash could feel his lungs fade in and out. His mind was screaming at his body to move, but he was too tired. As long as he got Jesse out, that all that matters to him. The planets would turn around her in a beautiful motion, keeping an eye on her smile and dreams. They would hold her, watcher out for her. She was going to get out of this life and, maybe, move on without him. He would, too. He would remember her from time to time, but live on. He knew that Saturn would hold her smile and keep her warm at night, explaining the emptiness in the stars and oceans. She was this perfect courage of stars, and she was rare to find. His eye began to roll back as his body stopped fight his father and slowly felt his body giving up, giving in…

…when he woke up, he saw a different ceiling. It was white and clean. His hands raked over the cotton sheets and felt the blanket over his, heavy and warm. There was a wet towel over his forehead and an icepack on his leg, which had clean and nest wrapping over the knee. His arms were sore and burned, but someone covered blood and bruises, which were wrapped lovingly and gingerly. His chest wasn’t burning anymore, and his breathing was even again. He felt better if he was telling the truth to himself, but he didn’t want to move anything. His head would pound time to time and his arms refused to lift, but he felt better.

He glanced around the room. It was a nice size room. There was a desk with a lamp. Small box stood on the wood and papers scattered on the surface. Hanging on the walls, pictures of smiles and posters of stars made Flash feel a bit… safer. He turned his head and saw a red-lit alarm clock, reading, 2:37 a.m., Saturday. A glass of water sat for him, waiting for him to drink, but he knew his hands couldn’t hold the glass. His eyes rolled back again but he wanted to stay awake. He wanted to find his sister, Jesse and see if she’s okay. He wanted to kick his old man in the ass for killing his mother. He wanted… his body need sleep. That’s what he wanted.

His eyes rolled back again and drifted off and he could see the universe in his sister's eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listing to "Saturn" while writing this chapter. I'm sorry I haven't post in the past days because of family holidays and I had to wait a while to post this.


	13. New Tides and Roles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ready to have some questions answered and minds to be blown?

By the time Eddie opened his eyes, the sun was peeking over the water. He stretched his arms up and silently yawned to himself. He felt Venom move around in his head and he felt them come out, pulling Eddie back down on the guest bed. They held Eddie close, their large clawed fingers running through his hair. They were tired. They felt regret. They didn’t know it was going to be this bad in New York. Eddie shut his eyes and hummed as his body relaxed against Venom. Sometimes Eddie forgets that Venom could make a human body by themselves for Eddie to snuggle against dreamingly. Under the blankets, Eddie breathed easily.

 **“A tired Eddie.”** Venom’s voice rumbled in his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. Venom slipped a hand up his shirt and scrapped his claws gently over his stomach. **“A very squishy and tired Eddie.”** Their other hand lifted his chin and gently kissed. Their claws ran over his skin, drawing circles and stars lightly on his chest. Venom pulled back nuzzled close to his host. **“A very loveably, squish, tired Eddie.”** He felt Venom brush against his neck and their teeth softly biting his skin.

“Stop, Venom,” Eddie sighed, blushing a soft red. “We’re in someone else’s house.”

Venom smirked. **“So?”** They hovered over their host’s head. **“We deserve rest after the past days.”**

“Wanna take care of me?” Venom’s head nodded, keeping an eager grin. “Let me sleep,” Eddie said in a half sleep smile. “That’s how you can take care of me.” Eddie ran his hands over the silky ink.

 **“Sorry for dropping a building on you yesterday. Hope you are not mad at me,”** Venom’s head came down and rested on their head on his.

Eddie gave him a smart grin. “My side still hurts and my foot has a bruise that’s the size of a dollar.” Eddie leaned up and pecked a quick kiss on their nose. “But I can’t be mad at you forever.” Venom’s hand was still drawing shapes and lines on his chest. “Do you feel anyone moving?”

 **“Peter’s up, but on one else.”** The cold claws stood up suddenly and pressed on his skin. Venom knew how much strength to use not to hurt him. **“Tell me something, Eddie,”** Eddie hung a hand on his neck. **“Tell me how much you love us.”**

“I love your smile how annoying you are.” Venom smirked as their other hand ran through Eddie’s soft, fluffy, brown hair. “I love the way you hold my hand in the movies and when I sleep. You’re a smartass—”

**“Like you.”**

“Like me, yes,” Eddie’s fingers swirled in the cold ink and slim. “I love how you let me sleep, too.” In the air, they smelled pancakes. “Pancakes and coffee, love?” Venom nuzzled again against his neck. “Okay, buddy. Let’s go check on the kids.”

He sat up and Venom disappeared under his skin, swirling throughout his body. Eddie could still the claws on his chest. He threw on his jean and the freshly cleaned sweatshirt, which smelt live hugs and coffee, a nice smell. He patted his hair down and left to the kitchen. He found Peter in the middle of flipping a pancake in the air and catching it in the pan. He was wearing Coca’ Cola pajama pants and a bright yellow shirt like the yellow shirt he saw in the shop. His hair was messy and looked like a rat’s nest. Venom couldn’t help but smile at the boy as he danced to the radio music playing the top hits of the week. Eddie glanced over his shoulder at the couch and saw Jesse curled into a ball under grey blankets he was under yesterday. How the hell did he even get here after the building falling on him?

Peter glanced over at Eddie and smiled with his teeth. “Morning, Mr. Brock,” he said. “The coffee’s brewing right now.” The kitchen was small, but it was a nice small. The cabinets lined on the wall and shaped like an “L”. There was plenty of space on the counter for three plates, the coffee pot, mail, microwave, and there was a clean spot by the fridge. “I’m making pancakes,” Peter said with a bit of pride. “I didn’t want to wake up Flash yet. He looked pretty rough. Aunt May said you can stay while the police figure out what to do.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked as he leaned against the counter.

Peter eyes suddenly turned grim as he placed finished pancakes on a plate. “When the police came on the scene,” he gave Eddie a plate. “They found their mother without blood in her body and Harry was gone besides his feet still in his shoes.” Peter pour more batter in the pan. “In the walls, the reports says that something carved into the wall,” his eyes narrowed and held nothing inside his wonderful eyes. Venom coward back in Eddie’s mind. “On the wall was a big ‘V’.”

Eddie felt his stomach drop. “So, are you saying, that they think…?”

Peter nodded. “I was like that, too, but the police expect that Venom did it.” He flipped the pancake in the pan. “I know. I didn’t want to believe it either, even after the building was dropped on you and he threw you at me like yesterday’s news. I know he didn’t want me around, but… I didn’t know he would do that to Flash’s family.”

Before Eddie said anything, Jesse sat up, yawning. Her head looked around the room tiredly and saw Eddie. She smiled at him softly, stretching, and fixed hair in a messy bun. “Hi, Eddie,” she yawned. She saw Peter, and Venom sensed her heartbeat quickening. “Hi, Peter,” she offered him a kind smile.

Peter stayed relaxed and returned her a polite smile. “Good morning, Jesse. I didn’t mean to wake you if I did.” Venom could feel his heartbeat skip a beat. “Do you want a pancake? I’m making some coffee, too.” Their cheeks turned to a light pink.

**_We ship this. I approve of this ship._ **

Peter gave her a plate with two pancakes. “Here you go, Jesse.” _Please, Venom, for once, leave my aunt’s house. In the nicest way, please, leave._

Jesse shrugged at Peter. _I like him around, really, Peter._

His eyes were wide as he watched eat her pancakes. He looked back at Eddie then at her. “Wait, what?”

She stopped and smiled up at her. If he looked long enough, her eyes would change and swirl like a galaxy and shooting stars. “What?”

**_Remember when I said I’ll talk to Eddie, Spider?_ **

Eddie decided to play along. “Is everything okay?” He shoved his hands in his jeans, realizing that he needs to shower today.

“Yeah,” Peter answered to both, his eyes glimmering in the morning sun.

 ** _She is the one who can hear me._** Peter’s head snapped back at her. **_She is a special one like yourself._**

 _I don’t know how I can hear him,_ she started eating her second pancake. _But I know he’s near when I can hear him. He watches over my family, really._ She smiled up at Peter. “These are great pancakes, Peter. Thank you so much!” _But, really, they mean no harm._

Even if he wanted continue this conversation, Flash stumbled down the hall. He was looking better than the last two days. The bags under his eyes were leaving and he had color on his face again. His eyes were clear, but his head was banging. He saw Peter and didn’t know what to say or do. He was tied between leaving for feeling ashamed for bullying him in school or hugging and thanking him for letting them stay the night. He felt out of place and like a fish out of water. The room he was in might have been his, too. Damn, he felt bad.

“Hey, Pete,” Flash said, trying to grin at him. “Thank you for… you know.” Words fail at moments you needed them.

Peter nodded at him. “You’re welcome, Flash. Eddie brought you in and my aunt saw you and she, well, she kinda made it her goal to get you better by morning around 9:15ish last night.” He moved to the kitchen and quickly took the pancake out of the pan and on a plate. “Pancake? Coffee’s done, too, so…” his voice trailed off when he finally saw him in the morning light. His left eye was badly bruised and swollen. His arms were wrapped at his wrist to his elbow, coving the cuts and a large bruise on his right arm. His neck had an outlining of a wire or rope—was he choked? He squinted his eyes at his neck and saw the swelling around his Adams apple. It was real. If Eddie didn’t leave for him, Flash and Jesse would have—

He thought of it made Peter place the plate down on the counter. He began to breathe heavily. His enemy in school, the one who loved to punch him out in the locker room and trip people down in the halls, had to fight every day for his life at him. He was strong on the field because of his father showed him true hurt, true pain without a helmet or shoulder pads. Flash was who he is today because he was…

It all hit Peter at once. It felt like a truck going a hundred on the highway hit him. He never thought that the toughest kid in school would battle bigger monster than him. With Venom on the run and close by to make sure the family was safe (he’ll get to Jesse later), he never knew he was like this. Maybe under the tough boy mask was a real human with emotions. He might like the small things in life like the butter room at his school. He likes that room. Maybe he would show the room one day after this is done and over with. Peter bit his lower lip while Flash’s eyes lingered away from everyone. Peter suddenly felt bad for looking at him for a long time. He hugged his right elbow. He couldn’t find any words for Flash or for his sister.

“Hey, um, Eddie?” Jesse asked. She got up and parted through the middle of the two boys. “Can we talk about today’s plan?” She didn’t wait for his answer as she took his arm and led them down the hallway to the guestroom.

When she shut the door and the knob _clicked_ , Flash wanted to following in with them. His mouth opened to say ‘hi’ or ‘hello’, but his voice didn’t want to work.  Peter should say something to him, really, it’s his turn. “Do you want some coffee?”

“Yeah, sure,” Flash answered in a whisper. His throat felt as if it was ran over. “Thank you.”

Peter poured in a white mug with “I <3 NY” printed in black and grasped the plate of pancakes. Flash sat behind the counter and held his breath when his back brushed against the chair. “Aleve?” Peter asked as he grasped the bottle and shook it.

“Yes, please,” Flash wanted to talk more, but—shit—his throat! _I guess that’s what I get for getting choked out, huh?_

Peter placed more batter in the pan. He was almost out. “Look, Flash,” he said uneasily. “About last night and today and… whatever happens next.” Flash didn’t like this. He didn’t like were this was going. “I just want you to know that I’m here for you, both my aunt and me.” He set the bowl on the counter and glanced over his shoulder. “We don’t have to talk about it at school if you don’t want to.”

Flash shook his head. “Pete,” his voice was going to give out soon. “I’m really sorry.”

Blue eyes. Blue eyes reminded Flash of the oceans and lakes in picture books and photos. In blue eyes, he could see a clear sky with small clouds with a kite. Gentle smiles and glimmers of hope holds in blue eyes. For some reason, Flash’s eyes were the rock shoreline in Rhode Island, and the waves crashed against the rocks and sands. The water looked cold and sharp as it bang against the rough edges. Blue was easy on Peter, bright and happy like a sky or a pillow (as his buddies on the Science Bowl describe him). For Flash, his blue eyes was buzzing like the neon lights. How could he compete with those eyes?

“I’m so sorry, Peter,” Flash repeated, his hands cuffing the mug, voice low.

Peter finished making the last of his pancakes, placed the remaining on a plate for him and Eddie, and sat next to him at the counter. He saw a large, discolored bruise under his sleeve, hiding from him. “Flash, it’s fine—”

“No, no it’s not,” Flash raised his voice to a normal talking voice, but he ended up coughing in his shoulder, away from Peter. When he finished, his voice was raspy and dry. “I did so many things to you. I…” his eyes lingered down at the coffee. “I don’t deserve this, you know? I deserved that beating last night for being sick, but not this.” He shook his head. “No, nothing like this from you.” His voice was silent as it started to fade. “I just feel sort of out of… place.” Steam floated above coffee, swirling. “I’m sorry.”

Peter didn’t want to do. “Flash? I didn’t—no, wait, that’s not right,” Peter stopped himself and rethought his words. “Can I try again?”

Flash nodded understandably after taking a sip of coffee and downing the blue pills.

“Okay, so, um,” Peter could never talk about in problems like this. He never liked being on the spot. “I know that you’re feel, um…”

“Conflicted,” Flash raised his mug and took a small drink. If he wasn’t losing his voice, he would tell him that Peter could make great coffee. He took another drink.

“Yeah, that word. I know that you feel conflicted about this situation because you did some, how can I say this?” Peter straighten his hands then a deep breath. “You did some questionable and harmful things to me and other people,” breath “But that was your way of getting your anger out and calling for help.” Breath. When his head finally straightened, he said, “I’m sorry that I didn’t notice sooner. I wish that I could’ve did something for you. Helped you out earlier.”

Flash offered him a grin and a patted him on the back. His arm hurts when he lifted it, but the pat on the back was a deserved for him. “Thank you, again.”

Peter responded with a simple smile. “You’re welcome.”

 

He watched from the other side of the street. He saw Peter and Flash at the counter with a coffee mug and a plate of pancakes. He saw him last night at the home. Flash put up a good fight from his dad, he gotta hand it to him. But there was just one difference between him and Flash:

He had the guts to kill his old man when he touched Jesse for the first time.

That was before the glitching started, and it was before he found out he could jump between worlds and stay in them. But why was he losing control was beyond him—Flash Thompson. In this world, however, he goes by Mr. Flash because that gives him more respect than he has. He felt more powerful when people addressed him like that, and he felt more “in timed” here.

His arms glitched, his arms doubling and changing into green, blue, and red. He shut his eyes and focused on the air around him, just as his Venom would say, to calm himself again. Each glitch keeps getting worst and worst, longer and longer with each glitch. The longer he stays in this timeline with his _other_ , he wouldn’t last the next three days. That’s why he needs Lizzy and Jesse, and it kills him to know he has to rid them both.

In his old timeline and every timeline, Lizzy is a bright young girl who has dreams bigger than the moon. In one timeline, she is a singer in a bar by the sea—all the men love and adore her by the sea. In another, she is the first female African-American president of the United States, and the country is moving forward with education and peace. She has a simple life in another with a husband and kids (both peaches, by the way) and she works as a teacher. Then she is a captain in the military and on a boat. If she thought about it and dreamt about it, she was it. Bright, young, happy, everyone loves her so much.

Jesse was many things—captain, mother, wife, teacher, waitress… dead. She was dead in most timelines either by a car hitting her or she hanged herself by the bridge. She was happy in some, but ended up dead at the end. She did have kids in one timeline, but they died as well. To him, she was the crow in the graveyard, or the black cat on the sidewalk. Jesse is still everything to him, and he doesn’t want it to end up this way. Maybe in a different situation, but this was the best route for him to survive. He figured that it was either him in this timeline or those two. He didn’t want his other dead because they could make their lives better, so the girls would have to do.

His arms returned to a simple state, and his stomach felt better. He let his hands relax and his mind clear. For the past two days, Flash was sick, and Mr. Flash is the cause of it. If he stays in New York longer than he should, Flash will get sicker and sicker. Today and last night is a different story. Last night, he almost met a fatal end with the cord around his throat. If it wasn’t for Eddie and Venom, he was going to be dead. Venom did throw Harry off Flash and left him, but it was Mr. Flash who finished the job. No, he didn’t eat Harry, but he did cut off their feet that gave the illusion that Venom did. He simply took his body in a different place in this timeline, like the ocean. Right now, sharks somewhere in the Pacific are ripping Harry apart. All Mr. Flash had to do was carve a giant “V” in the wall to make the police go nuts! But, his mother… she was already dead when he got there. Is old man must have killed her by pushing her away and her head hit the coffee table. He didn’t mind. He never liked her anyways.

But everything was in place, and everything will go according to plan, right? Like, there was nothing standing in his way for getting his life back to normal. All he had to do is get the two girls together, rip Venom out of Eddie, and he’ll be on his marry way of living! It doesn’t sound mad at all!—

Then he saw an image of Lizzy’s smiling at him from across the street, and he heard Jesse’s laughter from his timeline. Their smiling faces and happy attitude could never be taken away.

He held his breath and shut his eyes, forcing himself to forget, but how can you forget what you already remember? How could you do it? The demons that he faces are much stranger than the ones he’s fighting today. He needs to be stable, and he needs to live without glitching all over the place. If he travels through time or jumps again, he might be dead. Two lives shouldn’t matter as much as he does. He already started down this path, and he has to finish the journey himself with no help. It’s already hard enough that a little girl has to _die—_

“Damnit,” he cursed to himself through his teeth. “Stop thinking about it.”

He couldn’t though. After having that whiteboard conversation, talking about school and his green car, Mr. Flash couldn’t imagine seeing her lifeful eyes dead. Shit—he can’t bare the idea of holding his dead sister again. Something about holding and watching the person you love dying in your arms, it does something to your eyes. It’s almost as if you want to die with them. That’s how he felt when he figured it out, about the two dying in order to save him. Time itself is tearing him apart, and time itself is saving him.

Nervously, his chest flashed side-to-side, blurring in colors he couldn’t remember.

 _This has to work,_ he thought to himself. _Please, let this work._

His mouth tasted bitter with coffee and pancakes, and, ringing in his ears, he could hear Peter laughing at a joke. To himself and himself only, Mr. Flash started to grin.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, I can post the next one on Saturday and we can be right on schedule again! Happy reading!


	14. Saturday Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to check in with the Dawns! But, what's this? A backstory?

Lizzy just woke up for the day. Her black hair in a tangled mess, but it felt nice to her. She sat up in her bed and stretched. Outside, rain pattered against her window softly, keeping a steady beat and rhythm. It might rain all day, but that didn’t bother her. It’s Saturday, which means she doesn’t have to leave her cozy home until her mother goes to the market down the block.

The market is a nice little shop that’s owned by a nice little lady named Ms. Chen. When Lizzy goes with her mother every Saturday, on her best behavior, and doesn’t make a fuss, Ms. Chen gives her a free rainbow swirly pop as big as her hands when together and close together. If she didn’t have a swirly pop, she would let her pick a small candy. Lizzy stays with the lollipops because they last forever in her mouth like cherry or fruit punch, her favorite flavors. If she’s _extra_ good for the whole year, Ms. Chen gives her two swirly pops or a king size chocolate bar. It’s a hard call to make because she loves swirly pops and chocolate. Sometimes, Ms. Chen ask for her grades in school, and, if they meet her standers, she gets a small cherry sucker. Keeping her grades up and being on her best and greatest behavior is always a number one on Lizzy’s list.   

Never the less, Saturdays are meant for relaxing, deep couch sitting, and hanging out with Eddie—

Her grin faded when she remembered that he was on the other side of the world. Lizzy huffed disappointedly. Yesterday, on the phone, he didn’t talk to her about how the report was going and if he was going to be done earlier. He’ll be back on Tuesday, three more days. She can hold out without him a bit longer until he gets back. She hung her feet over her bed and jumped out of bed. It’s early enough to watch some cartoons and have a bowl of Coco Puffs. The thoughts of Coco Puffs made her mouth water. She loves Coco Puffs like Eddie loves his tatter tots and chocolate. For his birthday, her mother made him tatter tots while she saved up her money to buy fun-size Twix and Hersey Kisses. Lizzy slipped on her purple slippers on and grasped Mr. Turtle before she left her room. Down the hall, the T.V. was on, talking about New York.

Her mother was on the couch in Superman pajama pants and an oversized purple shirt with a white coffee mug on the front, and the steam made a heart over the mug. In pink lettering, it read Need Coffee. She had her puppy paw print mug in her hands with her coffee steaming over. Her hair put in a messy braid, but her mother still looked beautiful. Her mother glanced over at her and patted the seat next to her to sit. Skipping, she came over to her mother, giggling, “Morning, Mama!”

“Good morning, honey,” her mother responded as she climbed on the couch. She drunk her coffee as she watched the news. “The Demon did something last night in New York.”

Lizzy crossed her legs. “What do you mean? Like, did he do something bad?”

“Yep,” her mother nodded her head. “Something really bad. Eddie better find it before it find him.” She drunk more of her coffee.

“Is Mr. Brock in trouble?” Lizzy hugged her turtle close to her chest.

Her mother grasped the remote and flipped to “Tome and Jerry”. “Almost,” she said. “Almost is the best way to describe the problem.”

“Do,” Lizzy thought over her words. “Do they get along well?”

Her mother shrugged. “It depends on the day, sugar.”

“Oh,” Lizzy said dumbly. She didn’t know what that means, but she’ll take it anyways because it’s a nice way to live. “Can I call Mr. Brock?”

“I don’t see why not.” She handed her phone. “You know the drill.”

Lizzy unlocked her mother’s phone and left the room. Her mother only let’s her on the phone to call someone like Nana Ruth and Uncle Billy. Today, it’s Eddie Brock’s turn. She went to the bathroom and found his number.

It rang four times before a muffle “Hello?” came from the other side.

“Hi, Mr. Brock,” She sat on the toilet seat.

“Oh, hey, kiddo. I thought you would be sleeping in.” She heard a clink from a fork or a spoon. “I’m having pancakes right now.”

Her stomach was uneasy. “Mr. Brock, I have to tell you and your partner something.”

“Hold on—let me put you on speaker.” She waited for a moment. “Okay, kid, you’re on. Peter, Jesse, Flash—say hello to Lizzy.”

There was a chorus of ‘hello’s from the other end. She knows that Jesse and Flash are Eddie’s niece and nephew. “Hello, everyone. Okay, I’m going straight for it so I don’t forget, okay?”

“Okay,” Peter said.

“Mama was watching the news this morning and saw the Demon did something in New York.” Breath. “So, I am calling to tell you that it might come after you because you and him don’t get along well. I’m super worried that something—” Breath. “Something bad might happen to you and your partner.” She waited for them to say something. “I’m done.”

“Okay, Lizzy,” another male voice on the other side. She’s betting it’s Flash. “Thanks for telling us.”

She kicked her feet back and forth on the toilet. “So, how is New York? Is it really big like the pictures show?”

She heard Peter laugh to himself. “It’s huge, Lizzy. It’s full of different people, foods, life, cultures—New York has everything to offer.”

“Whoa,” her eyes grew wide. “Are people there nice?”

“Some are nice, some are mean.” Flash said. “But, at the end of anything bad, we come together and live. Yorker Pride if you call it.”

She shifted the phone on the other hand. “Mr. Brock?”

“Yes?”

“Is the Demon mad at you? Is that why it’s doing bad things?” There was silent over the phone as Eddie tried to look for an answer. “Do you think it’s hurt? Like, there’s something wrong but doesn’t know how to say it? He couldn’t turn bad overnight! Something bad must have happen to him, and he’s forced to do bad things.”

Venom moved around nervously in Eddie’s head. Venom wanted to take the wheel, take over Eddie for a moment and tell her that everything was going to be okay and they’ll be home soon. Mentally, Eddie hushed his loved one and answered, “There’s a lot of things my partner and I don’t know, but you’re right—they didn’t change bad overnight.”

“Yeah,” Peter added. “There’s something going on that we don’t know, but we can figure it out.”

Lizzy bit her lip. “Did you try to talk to him?”

Eddie answered, “Yes, we did. It wasn’t a good thing, though.”

“Did you go to his home and knock on the door, or did you break in?” Lizzy sounded almost like her mother as she kept a straight face. “Please tell me you knocked on his door.” There was silence on the other end. “You didn’t knock, did you?” Still nothing. “Mr. Brock, Peter—I’m getting Mama on the phone.” She hopped off the seat and went to the living room. Her mother was at the coffee pot pouring a fresh cup. Lizzy held up the phone to her mother. “Mr. Brock did something dumb… again.”

Her mother took the phone. “When doesn’t he? Go and take a shower before we go to the store, okay?” She shooed her daughter to leave and raised the phone to her ear. “Eddie Brock? Peter Parker? Explain. Now.” She sipped her coffee.

Peter didn’t know why he felt every sin crawl up his back. “Yesterday, after we called, we looked for the Demon.”

“And something happened bad enough that my daughter had to give me the phone?”

“Almost,” Eddie answered. “Is almost a good answer?”

“Almost is used in hand grenades and horseshoes,” she leaned up. “Not here, Eddie.”

“So, he’s not going to tell—Peter. Talk.” She drunk her coffee and murmured to herself, “Damn, I’m good at coffee.”

Peter leaned in from his seat. “The Demon dropped a building on Eddie.” On the other end, they heard her spit out her drink. “And it threated to do more harm if we don’t leave it alone.—”

“I can hear it talk if it’s near,” Jesse added in. “If that makes a difference to anything.”

Debra Dawn didn’t know what to say. She was both upset that they really did listened to her on finding her, and she’s a bit pleased that the creature dropped a building on Eddie. They were insane enough to go after the monster first, but not Spider-Man? Men are dumb. “Yesterday, I told you not to do something dumb, and what do you do?” There was a protest about to, but she stood her ground. “Eddie Brock, I’m not just going to pray for your protection, but I’m going to add in that for you two not to die!” She sighed to herself. “Okay, so the Demon knows, go and find Spider-Man and tell him, too. This is their city, Eddie, at least tell him.”

“How do we find him, then?” Jesse asked. She looked at the surprised reports and brother. “I wanna help.”

Ms. Dawn rolled her eyes. “Sure, honey, I’ll also throw your name in the prey guide. Now, let’s get straight to it. Find a bank robbery or a car chase to get their attention. Later, track and find them. Talk to them. If the creature threaten already, you might as well stay away. GO to the spider then we can talk.”

**_She deserves better than us._** Jesse glanced at Peter. The voice was soft and sad. **_She deserves better than the life she has._**

“You sound like you know a lot about planning things, ma’am,” Flash leaned on his hands. “Is it a mother thing or something else?”

Ms. Dawn sat up in her chair. “I was once part of a military team that specialized in midnight operations and missions in the oceans. I was a captain. Respected leader and perfect at exciting plan.”

It’s true.

Debra Dawn was once one of the greatest leaders in the Navy that the military had ever seen. She led night missions that would come across terrorist groups and lend a hand with the Avengers once and a while. She was the best in so many ways, and then she missed two months. When Ms. Dawn found out she was having a kid, she thoughts she was losing her mind. Her having a kid? There is no way she was having a kid! Not while she was so far ahead in her field, missions, and credibility. She needed to stay in the fight, in a job, and in a relationship. Does that mean she lost her job in the Navy? No. Not a chance. Of course, she had to tell her boss—her mother in Pennsylvania.

After telling her, she flew on the next flight to get to her daughter. For the past months, Ms. Dawn worked in the military carefully and taking more breaks to ease herself. Her coworkers and team members were pitched a hand to help her, and then she was close to having Elizabeth, she had to take time off. Her husband promised to be there, but he left a week before his daughter was born, leaving behind Ms. Dawn the apartment. Why did he leave? It wasn’t his fault, really. He didn’t want to go.

It was the timing, that’s all.      

She then saw the Iron Man backpack and the pink sparkled jacket on the hook. She made it well without him. If he would come back, she would stab the knife in his chest, calling it revenge with a side of wop-ass. “Then I became a mother, and with all my skills and training is used.” She crossed her legs. “Also, I am the Leader of the PTA and Linda’s been riding my ass about next week’s Cookie and Punch Sale.”

“Isn’t that the redheaded woman with two idiot kids?” Eddie asked.

Ms. Dawn nodded as she made her way to the bathroom. The door was shut and she could hear the water running. “That’s the lady.”

**_Heads up children—Linda’s lemon bars are shit!_** Jesse started to snicker. **_Please, she’s a bitch. One of these days, Peter, I’m going to eat her rotten kids!_**

“Anything else you want to tell me, Eddie?” She drunk finished her coffee. “Peter? Flash or Jesse?”

Eddie leaned over the counter. “There’s a new car across the street, Ms. Dawn. A neon green car.” He rested his head on a hand. “Do you know the driver?”

“Yes?”

There was a sharp tingle in Peter’s head and a nudge in the back of Eddie’s head. “Don’t let Lizzy near him,” Peter, Eddie, and Venom said at the same time. Eddie and Jesse both looked confused at each other as if they missed a joke or something important.

Ms. Dawn sighed on the other end. It’s better if she didn’t ask because she’ll figure it out on her own. She always does like she knows that Eddie belongs to the Demon. How did she figure out? There were a lot a bells that rung. For example, she would see a hint of black coral under his skin, and she noticed he was eating more but kept perfect shape. And he his eating habits and how much he was consuming should’ve made him, well, fatter, but he stayed at the same weight and size. The real seller was at the drug store when Venom—yes, she knows the name—took time to give back Mr. Turtle to Lizzy. Any monster would’ve left the turtle alone, but they returned it to her politely.

After that, Ms. Dawn knew about Eddie’s little or big secret about the monster. She was going to confront him before he left, but she thought it was best to talk while her daughter was at school or somewhere away from the conversation. She doesn’t have a problem with Eddie and the monster near her daughter—really, she doesn’t—but her mother side wants Venom far away from her baby girl. If they _ever_ hurt her child, not only will her Mother Bear Mode would switch on, her ex-military captain would turn back on. No one is saying that she killed a man, but, if she did, she’ll make sure her nails are done and her hair is perfect. Can’t slay without looking like a queen is her saying!

“I’m not going to ask,” she said. “I’m trusting that you know something that I don’t know, and it’s better if I don’t know.” She turned the channel back to the news. The screen began to glitch and turned to static. The white noise could be heard over the phone, and it was sharp, loud, and sudden. She turned the channel again and the same thing happened. She quickly turned it off and tossed the phone on the table. “Eddie? Peter?”

Peter’s arm hair stood high and he glanced over his shoulder at the window. Venom was racing through Eddie’s body, hitting every nerve and pulse. Flash reached behind him and grasped his jacket while the other hand grasped his sister by the wrist. Jesse bit her lips as her eyes wonder over the window and glass. Dark clouds began to cover New York as thunder rumbled and shock the house. “Ms. Dawn,” Eddie voice was easy rolling off. “I need you to lock the door and not leave your home today. Okay?” The lights began to flicker in Peter’s kitchen, and car alarms went off on the street. “Ms. Dawn?”

“Eddie?” Ms. Dawn swallowed as lighting struck a transformer down the road from her cozy home. “I think this is a good time to go to the police with the information you two got yesterday. Fuck the story and go to the police.” She leapt off the couch and went to the kitchen. “Find Spider-Man if you must, but the police first. If things go wrong,” her hand grasp the red handle to the carving knife. “Stop reporting the damn story and come home.”

Eddie nodded at the phone as he picked it up. “Gotcha, Ms. Dawn. Stay safe.”

“You too. Good day, children.” The line went dead.

Eddie glanced around the room at everyone. “We should,” he pointed at the door behind him. “We should go to the police. We have to tell them what’s happening on Monday.”

 

Lizzy happily combed her hair in the bathroom, humming a sweet tone. Today is pink sweatpants and a purple Hello Kitty shirt her mother bought her. She loves Hello Kitty because Hello Kitty is a cat. She loves cats.

She left the bathroom and went to meet her mother. When she passed the kitchen, she saw the carving knife on the counter. She paused and studied the room. She couldn’t hear anyone moving, and she couldn’t feel anyone in the room. She toyed with her fingers as she crept to the couch and found her mother on her phone. She was testing someone, she knew that, but stopped when she saw Lizzy. Her mother gave a soft smile and said in a sweet voice, “Sweetie, there’s a storm about to come soon, so, we’re not leaving until it passes, okay?”

Lizzy nodded as lighting cracked like a whip outside of the window. The power began to flicker until it turned off. Lizzy let out a small yip as she rushed to her mother’s side. She nuzzled close to her mother and wrapped her arms around her, squeezing tightly. Her mother patted her head, hushing her child. “Mama? Is Eddie in trouble?” Lizzy voice whispered.

“I hope not,” her mother answered, matching her tone. “Everything’s going to be okay, sweetie. I promise. Besides, Eddie has a babysitter to look after him.”

Lizzy glanced up at her mother. Her eyes reminded her of her father. “You sure? Eddie does do silly things.”

She nodded and reassured, “Eddie just has a story, honey. Once he’s done, he’ll be home again. I promise.” She gave her daughter an extra squeeze. “But, for now, wanna watch Netflix?”

Lizzy’s eyes widen excitedly. “Can we watch ‘How to Train Your Dragon’?”

“Sure, honey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted y'all to get to know Ms. Dawn a bit and foreshadow who's Lizzy's dad. Sorry that it's a bit short.


	15. A Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigale Bird is the perfect girl, so perfect that something special is bounded to her

There was a hush sound over the train tracks that Abigale can hear. That tells her it’s ten minutes until she has to leave her home and start her day. Wakes up in the morning around seven, brush her teeth, eat something, shower, and pick out an outfit for the day. She wears knee-high dresses almost every day of the year and keeps her hear down or up in a bun. She leaves her home around 8:30 after she hears the train pass over her home and walks everywhere and anywhere she could on Saturdays. Today’s mission is meeting at Peter’s house on Jackson Street, about 20 blocks and 3 streets from her house, about an hour and fifteen-minutes from her house.

There’s a lot of walking today, so she left a note for her mother when she wakes up. Her mother doesn’t worry when she goes for walks. Why? Abigale wish she knew.

Her mother would still be in bed after the skeleton shifts at the hospital and her father pulls out of the driveway at 7:30. He kisses her head and signs a “good-bye” before he leaves for work. Form what she learns from the dinner table, he works at The Daily Bugle as an editor. He works every day and hardly takes time off much like her mother. Abigale is the youngest of out three kids. The oldest, Wilson, is out on the rails working in Chicago, and the middle child, Raina, is in Paris as a teacher. She’s married and has a kid with another on the way. Everyone in her family is out working while she’s at school living her life to the fullest without a noise.

She can’t talk, and can hear, but the noises are muffled. She can hear people talk, but it sounds like their voices are under water or a pillow, muffled and still. The noises she can make is a scratchy laughter and she can hum tones and melodies that she feels from the radio. When it comes to music, she places her hands on the speakers and feels the music. Sometimes, she can hear the lyrics of the songs and she hums to the music. She doesn’t know what the words are, but it works out for her.

Today’s dress was a Kelly green dress with black shadows of birds flying, and her shoulders covered by a leather jacket that ends at her waist. The dress matches her eyes, which is a bright green with a hint of gold around the iris… and matches her own symbiote. They call themselves Lasher, a dark forest green with a raspy voice. A voice she doesn’t have.

How they met and learned to live each other?

Lasher first came from this place called Life Foundation that was open for roughly ten years. No, she never been there, but Lasher came from there. The trip start after he snagged a ride on a lab coat before closing time. Then they traveled, body-to-body, meeting all walks of life to make it to Maryland, where he met his perfect host—a deaf painter who wears dresses, carefree, and has a love for their surroundings. Her family were visiting her aunt after giving birth to twin boys. Because she knows every street, sign, and person, Abigale went for a walk down the paper town sidewalk, and Lasher was connected to a truck driver from Minnesota. He had the driver follower her until she was in a Salvation Army because she saw a pretty soft pink, knee high dress with small red bikes for sale. The move was so easy. They simply made the driver pass the dress to her, passing through their hand and into her wrist. She bought the dress and went on her way in the autumn air.

When she was home, she noticed something swimming around inside her head. It felt _different_ but right. Slowly, she started to notice herself changing because she was eating more ham and Swiss sandwiches and asking for eggs in the morning. She doesn’t like eggs. Before she knew it, sudden, loud, muffled noises startled her, and her skin would scream when she walked by an oncoming train. Every time she went to Coast 2 Coast, she had to by fun size bags of M&Ms and chocolate pudding. That that she’s complaining about the chocolate. Even though Lasher could talk, he didn’t know how to introduce himself because she’s deaf! Could she hear him? It took him two weeks to introduce himself to his host.

It was raining, and her parents out on a Date Night to see a movie. She doesn’t mind when they go out and watch a movie because her deafness shouldn’t stop anyone from a good film. She loves the old silent films and old horror films. Abigale was making herself chicken dumpling soup when Lasher came out on her shoulder. He didn’t say anything, and she didn’t seem to notice him there next to her as her hands carefully cut dough and chicken. When she was done, she began making the soup, she saw a snake like shadow on her shoulder from the light. She frozen where she stood and grasped the cutting knife next to her, feeling the handle in her palm and thumb. Raising the knife, she turned her head slowly towards the shadow and found it connected to her.

She opened her mouth and a raspy yep escaped, hurting her throat. Lasher did the same because he didn’t know she could make a sound besides laughing and humming. When they were down, Lasher stretch himself out as she backed away from him, holding the knife was her hands moved in a fast and panicked motion. Being connected to her and scanning her memories, he understand her well, to his surprise.

Her hands moved: Who are you? Why are you connected to me? She stopped for a moment as she felt tears started to fall. Please tell me you’re not going to eat me! She began to whimper in the back her throat.

She watched the dark green glob form hands and he started to speak: **I am Lasher, and you are my host.** He let his hands fall. This was an awful idea for bonding with a deaf human, but she’s so perfect. **I hope that I didn’t scare you, Abigale.** She still held the knife in a death grip. **_I didn’t mean to scare her._**

Her head perked suddenly. Shaking, her hands pointed at the green glob with the knife. _I heard you. Can you hear me?_

Her voice was like the sweetest music he’s ever heard. So soft. So kind. So gentle and sweet. His eyes soften, showing her a shy smile. **_Yeah. I can hear what you hear, but I can help you hear better if you let me._** He stuck out his hand, his claws slipping away. **_Together, we can be more. Together, I can show you something amazing. Let me in and be part of you fully, and we might have something more._**

She shut her eyes and listened to his voice ring in her head. She never heard someone, or something, in her head besides her own voice. It felt like thunder against the window, but it was light and sweet enough to make her place the knife down. Abigale rubbed her hands nervously together. This thing, Lasher, was _in_ her, bounded by threads of greens and black. She shut her eyes and thought it through for a moment. She opened her eyes and took their hand, nodding an ‘okay’ at the figure. Lash smile widen as he disappeared in her again. She felt the warm mass swarm around her body, and, her outreached hand, dark green headphones formed.

She brought the headphones close to her and examined it. **_Put them on, Abigale._** The voice cooed. **_Put them on and hear._**

Shutting her eyes, she slid the headphones on. There was nothing at first, but she heard a noise. It was a picking-ticking sound under glass. She opened her eyes and saw the clock’s small hand matching the speed of the sound. Then there was a buzzing noise from the oven, telling her that her soup was down. Her eyes were wide as she heard her footsteps—her own feet!—moving to the stove to remove the small pot of soup off the burner.

 _Wowie,_ she thought, huffing out a breath in awe. _This… this is amazing, Lasher._

A dark green thread reached out to the radio and turned it on. The first song Abigale Bird heard was “Sounds of Silence”, a cover from Disturbed, and listen to rock n’ roll music for an hour while she ate her soup. The drums were loud, but it sounded like a heartbeat and felt like a mountaintop. Then she heard the guitar solos and she couldn’t stop smiling at the strumming and screaming on the strings, reminding her how birds would fly. The lyrics were catchy and felt right, and she could feel music flow through her blood, pumping like train. In the air, she could see the music notes floating in the air. This was… this was…

 _Amazing,_ her voice was soft in her head. _Lasher, thank you so much._ She was on the verge of tears.

She felt arms wrap around her waist and Lasher’s head resting on her shoulder. **“You’re welcome, Abigale,”** his voice was soft and static with white noise. **“Do you want to hear your voice? I can help you talk, you know.”**

Even though she wanted to sing along to the music and sounds, she shook her head.  _No, Lasher,_ her voice was polite and soft. _This is perfect the way it is._ Her hands grasped the headphones as she shut her eyes. _This will be our little secret, Lasher. No one must know about you or about this. When we’re alone, we can have this. Promise?_

Her hands were soft and warm from the soup as her fingertips traced lightly over him. **_Promise._**

They turned the radio off before her parents were home, and spent to rest of the night talking and asking questions to each other in her room.

_Where did you come from?_

**_I am what you call a creation, a child, of another. Venom is my father. I believe I was forced to be created in a lab._ **

_I’m sorry, Lash. Venom? Like the snake venom?_

**_No, no—the Demon of San Francisco. That’s my father._ **

_Oh, that’s cool._ She smiled as if he was there. _So, can you do what they do? Like, take over my body and stuff like that?_ Her arm lifted and she watched her arm change to a green, her fingers turning into claws. Her eyes widen as the green mass began to cover her body. The mass stopped at her breast, waiting for her to give an okay. _Can you not, um, show off my… you know._

**_What do you prefer?_ **

_I don’t know. A sweatshirt, maybe? Something not tight. I may enjoy dresses, but I never let others see anything more._ She suddenly felt nervous. _You can do that, right?_

A low laugh rung in her head. **_We could do so much more than make a simple sweatshirt, my dear, but if you want a sweatshirt to cover your upper body,_** she watched a green threaded sweatshirt form over her and a black spider on her sleeve form. **_It’s what you’ll get._** She felt warm silk slip over her head and she disappeared under it. They sat up in the bed and he let her examine herself. She felt her lips move, but it wasn’t her voice in her head. **“Cool, huh?”**

 _Interesting, actually._ She held a hand up. _It’s your voice, not mine._ In the air, she felt everything. Every single electron, proton, neutron that made up the atoms, the passing cars on the streets for seven blocks, railroad cars on the track, and hearts beating in rib cages. If she focused hard enough, she could figure out what their blood type and sex. _You feel that, too? The energy around us?_ She shivered as a car zoomed down their road. _Can you feel it? It’s so powerful!_

 **“Yes,”** he answer, forming a proud smile that his host wasn’t freaking out like the others did. **“It’s nice, huh? The power?”**

 _Hell yeah!_ She laughed using her mouth. _This is awesome, Lasher!_

From that night, they became close, not hiding anything from each other, sharing memories and feelings. They made a deal with each other. Abigale goes to school and Lasher doesn’t talk or bother her unless he feels something wrong around them. When school’s done and Lasher was on a good behavior, every other week, she’ll take him to Greenberg Grub for a cookie milkshake or a M&M milkshake. At the end of the month, the last Saturday, Lasher makes her the headphones and uses them for an hour to listen to the radio or watch an episode (with the subtitles on). When it came to eating—well—Lasher takes care of that when he needs to feed. As much as she hates the idea of taking a life, he has to stay alive. So, every three weeks, they go on a hunt for pedophiles, murders, rapist, pips, and all the bad ones on the list until Lasher feels he has enough to last him three weeks. He’s offer to fix her earing and speech, but she declines it every time by shaking her head. They live peacefully in her home without her parents ever knowing. She told Lasher they’ll tell one day but time will tell.

They walked down the street when the clouds began to darken around 48th Street. They glanced around as Lasher listened. The road and sidewalks were clear, clearer than usual. A cold breeze sent a chill down her spine, hugging her jacket closer. They’re about three blocks and one street away from Peter’s house, and she thinks they can make it if they—

**_‘Believe’? You can’t be this serious._ **

She shrugged after looking both ways. _We got this far, so, why turn around and start over? It makes since to move forward and onward._

 ** _Fine, fine,_** he groaned.

He learned fast not to argue with her. She can argue and put up a good fight between hands and words. She knows what she’s talking about, and, when she’s on the task, Abigale sees it to the end. Abigale felt thunder overhead and the wind blow as they continued forward. The air was salty and thick like honey and peanut butter. She felt Lasher on edge, which made her hair stand on end, when they turned left at the light. The closer they got to Peter’s house, the darker the clouds grew and the meaner they looked. Lighting cracked across the sky, making them jump to the noise. Not only does railroad cars make her skin scream, but also lighting and close thunder makes her skin crawl. Lasher quicken their steps to get to his house.

They know Eddie is there, which means Venom is there. Also, her best friend, Jesse, is not in the greatest shape. They saw the news about her family, and she figured that Jesse needed her best friend. Jesse doesn’t live with her parents, but it’s still her family, and Flash was there last night. From what she read from the reports and the way Lasher described it, Flash was hit pretty hard. They don’t know about Lasher, but today they will along with Peter Parker, a report who knows Spider-Man personally. Hopefully, no one freaks out. She’s more worried about how Eddie and Venom would take it, really.

Lasher felt her stomach turn as they got closer. **_I won’t let them harm you._** His voice was raspy and she felt the vocals shake her body. **_We promise._** As quickly as it came, he morphed a hand in hers, squeezed, and disappeared. She pushed lose strains of hair behind her ears as she hurried to his house.

It’s not really a house. It’s an apartment on the seventh floor, the top floor. She imagines a small home for Peter and his aunt every time she thinks of it.  

By the time she got there, she caught them—Peter, Eddie/Venom, Jesse, and Flash—leaving the apartment, talking to each other. They looked as if they were in a panic about something. She felt the headphones form in her hands and she slipped them on.

“—that’s why we need to move fast.” Eddie’s voice sounded light and anxious—does he have anxiety? He looks like he has anxiety. “After telling the police, we have to find that spider.”

Flash was about to say something when Jesse saw her two blocks away. She waved with a big smile on her face, excited to see her friend, and started coming to her direction. Abigale smiled back, waving, and started to jog to meet her friend have way in a hug.

“Hey, girl!” She said as her hands signed. Her voice reminded Abigale of butter on a warm dinner roll. “What’re you doing today?”

Her hands moved: I was out and about looking for you. I figured Peter knew were you and Flash were. Her hands rested to her side and kept her smile on. Abigale loves her best friend, and Lasher adores her. How long have they been best friends? Well, they both have friendship necklaces from the third grade. That’s how long.

Jesse grasped their hand and dragged them behind her, and Abigale followed happily, tugging Lasher in her head. They stopped, looked both ways at the two lights, and end at Peter’s apartment.

Jesse let go of her hand and said, signing, “This is Abigale, or Abby, guys,” Abigale waved at them. Jesse faced her and signed: This is my uncle Eddie. You remember my idiot brother, right?

Abigale cracked a grin: The one that doesn’t shower for three days and smells like shit? Eddie let out a loud snort before it turned into laughter. Abigale nodded. Yes, I remember him.

Eddie tried to control himself again, but this girl was five steps better than he was. His hands went up and said, signing along, “It’s nice to see you again, kid.”

Peter cocked an eye at Eddie. “You met her?”

Eddie shrugged. “At the shop with the police officers.” _And that eerier message about know who we are._ “Seems like a nice girl.”

Suddenly, Venom tugged at Eddie, nervously and eager to talk.

Abigale felt Lasher becoming nervous and shy all of the sudden.

Both host knew that this was going to be a long day, and both aliens knew that this was going to be hard on all four of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And BOOM! New characters for the story! Anyways, I'm in the middle of writing Chapter 16 and planning Chapter 17. The next chapters, this'll be going fast because Venom has enough. All in all, I hope you liked It!


	16. Donny, The Good Cop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You give me info, I'll give you info. That's how it works."  
> ~Mr. Heim, my English teacher

The station was busier than normal on Saturday morning.

It started with a drive-by shot on Adams followed by a small fire at a coffee house and three cars getting stolen on the same street. If things couldn’t get worse, two thugs almost— _almost_ —started a turf war. Before noon, Deputy Ranking has to give out input on Venom’s attack from last night on Henry and his wife, who were found dead at the apartment last night, Henry’s feet still in the shoes, the body missing. Then, after that, he had to investigate the fallen building from that _one_ area. He wasn't worried about the Brocks. As far as he’s concerned, the kids were with their uncle at a friend’s house safe and sound. So, how does Donny Ranking and his team take their first break around 10:30?

A nice visit from two reports and three kids.

“Hey,” Mary said at her desk, sitting with her third cup of coffee. “Ain’t that Eddie Brock and that Parker kid?”

Donny glanced up from his desk. He let a puff of stress and tiredness out of his chest. “Yep,” he grunted as he started on the report on Henry and his wife. “This should be fun, kids.”

There are five desk in a classroom-sized office for his team. Mary is the first desk on the left. She has healthy flowers on her desk to brighten up the room every other week, and has her papers in a neat pile. Next to her is Ricco, and he has a mini fridge under his desk with sandwiches and water. Donny is in the center in against the wall, almost the first person you see if you entered, and his desk is cluttered with reports, files, and paperwork from HR. Behind his desk is a coat rack with his jacket and a tan cowboy hat. In front of his desk is two chairs for guest. The first desk on the right belongs to Daniel and he has the coffee maker behind his desk that he keeps full and warm every day. He has two small photos on his desk of his wife and him on their wedding day. The other is a picture of his wife in the hospital, and she is cradling a little pink blanket and he is next to her, still dressed in his uniform. His papers have trays and he keeps his desk well organized. Next to him is Jason and his desk is the worst in the group. Papers everywhere, files on the floor stacked a mile high, a dead plant from a Christmas long forgotten, and a broken picture frame, cracked down the center, with a picture of him and his trustful Calico cat, McScuffles Scuffles—the cat with a missing leg and a chipped ear, an ugly looking cat. He loves his cat more than death itself. It may look cluttered, but this little slice of heaven is home to them.

Donny sat up at his desk and watched the two reporters tell the three kids to stay in the waiting room. He knows Peter Parker well because he comes in everyday for the newspaper to get reports on new crimes or updated criminals, and he’s the first reporter on scene when a murder or a robber happens. Peter doesn’t know, but Donny is secretly keeping a tab on him to make sure he doesn’t die when there’s a shoot-out. He’s a good kid, smart as hell, bright and hopeful eyes every time he enters their home, and deserves a better pay-rate from Jameson.

 _Fuckin’ moneygrubber,_ he thinks bitterly to himself every time.

Peter raised a hand at the open door and knocked as he walked through. He was holding a simple grin, but it wasn’t happy. “Morning, everyone,” he said as he gave a shy wave. “I hope we’re not intruding on anything.”

Jason shook his head from his desk. “Nah, kid, you’re alway’ welcom’ ere.” Peter likes Jason, really, but, sometimes, he wishes that Jason just go back to school and learn how to speak better English once and awhile. “How’s Aunt May?”

“She’s good. She just hates the morning shifts.”

“Well,” Ricco grinned as he finished his report and slid it in a tray. “Tell her angel cake is the real shit, man. I never had something that good in a while.” He folded his hands over his desk, and his hands stained with pen ink and oil from his car.

“Take a seat, boys,” Donny said, his hand extended to the chairs in front of him, his eyes not looking up as he wrote. He heard the two sit down as he placed the file next to him after he close it and placed the capped pen on the top. He saw Eddie and nodded at him. “I see you two are working on the same story then?” He glanced at Peter, who was closest to Ricco.

“Yeah,” Peter said. “We’re partners on the story.”

“More like stor _ies_ ,” Eddie mumbled to himself. He sat up straight in the chair and cracked his shoulders. He felt so uncomfortable in this chair, but Venom rolled up his spine and rested themselves on his shoulders, relaxing his muscles.

“What can we help you with today, boys?” Donny asked. His eyes held a glimmer under the dim light.

Peter shifted in his chair. “We think we have an idea what might be going down on Monday night, Mr. Ranking.”

“Hints the phrase ‘we think’,” Eddie said. “It’s a hunch, but we’re going off it.”

“Is it about your buddy, Venom?” Mary said, smacking gum. Venom wanted to snap out at her, but Eddie was holding them back, reminding them that they’re wanted in the city and Ms. Dawn wasn't going to bail them out. “Because he did a number on a couple last night. Thank _gawd_ that the kids got out.”

“The Thompsons?” Eddie glanced over his shoulder at her. “I know. I had to get them last night. I called it in.”

The air was still and cold. “So, wha' happened?” Jason asked as he leaned in. “Wa' happened when ya got ther'?”

“I already told a cop last night,” Eddie said. He didn't want to relive it. They didn't want to see Flash on the floor, curled up in a ball and a stream of blood running down his nose. Before they got to Peter's house that night, Venom healed Flash's broken nose and whatever that wasn't working.

“I weren't there and boss o'er there is stuck with the report.” If Eddie wasn’t in a police station, he would totally punch the ass eating smile on his face. “Tell wha' happened when ya got ther'.”

Eddie stared at him with a blank and cold expression. “When I got there, Jesse was a nervous wreck and wouldn’t stop raking her finger over her skin. She started to bleed because the nails dug into her skin. Eugene was passed out on the floor. When I came to him, he was between death and life, and…” Eddie’s voice trailed as he started to remember the scene and his lifeless body on the floor. “His father was gone when I got there. I have no idea what happened and I wasn’t going to stay to figure out. I had to get them out.”

“An' wha' would ya do if he were there?” Jason asked, his voice like nails on a chalkboard.

Eddie didn’t have to say anything when he glared at Jason, letting Venom’s eyes mix with his. Their eyes mixed and swirled into a beautiful yet terrifying white. Terrifying enough to make Jason’s shitty grin leave in a second.

“So, you saw the shoes?” Donny asked to bring back the conversation. 

Eddie bit his lower lip as he returned their eyes to normal. “Yes, I saw the shoes and the carving of the ‘V’ in the wall,” his eyes fell to the floor. Venom wanted to come out and hold his hand to comfort them. They didn’t do any of that, but, deep inside, Venom wanted to keep Henry alive and kill him slowly for doing something like that to these kids. If they were willing to beat it the Gas Mask, they would throw everything in the pot. “It makes me sick thinking about it.”

“The kids in the waiting room,” Ricco said. “Is that Jesse and Eugene out there?”

“Before any of you get on my case,” Eddie said as he held up his hands at everyone. “I’m taking them to the hospital after this. They wanted to come with us.” Thunder rumbled outside as it started to rain. “I didn’t want to fight them about it. Eugene is too tired to fight, and Jesse… damn, that girl is holding herself together but she’s going to fall apart any minute.” Lightening flashed and cracked the sky. “Her friend is here with them, Abigale Bird.”

The lights began to flicker over them. “I see,” Donny said. “How is he, Eddie? Off record and as a friend, I gotta know if he’s alright and that the report was lying about the,” he swallowed a lump as big as a bolder. “The cord.”

“You can still see where the cord was, and it was double-wrapped around him,” Eddie swallowed hard on the memory. “Trust me, if I knew that they were being treated like this, I would’ve gotten them out of there as fast as I could.”

 ** _Not your fault._** Peter shivered at Venom’s sudden voice, soft but rough, as they talked to Eddie. **_You didn’t know, Eddie._** Their voice wasn’t threatening or mean any ill will to him even though they nearly dropped building on him. The voice was more friendly, reassuring.

Donny’s eyes soften. “Don’t blame yourself. No one knew how bad it was there.” The lights flickered again and the rain poured harder. “But, you two have something important to tell us, right? That’s why you came here.” He returned himself to work.

That’s Peter’s cue to pull out his notebook with the math equations and theory. “Yesterday, we kind of narrowed down what the Gas Mask Man is going to do next.” He handed the notebook to the deputy. “I think he might come to the Lighting of the Lake. From both reports—Eddie’s and mine—we found out he can slow down time around that bubble of his and speed it up on the outside. All of the car batteries within the area around the bubble had to be jumped or towed because the battery died.”

“So?” Jason asked as he rested his head on his forearm.

“So,” Eddie said in a near mock. “What he’s saying is that he was able to suck the energy out of the cars’ batteries and screwing up time by a minute within the bubble.”

“And,” Peter took over again. “If he can do that, that means—with enough power by the lake—he could destroy time around him and crush at least three blocks within three to five minutes.” Donny’s eyes glanced up at him. “We’re not saying that this could happen, but—”

“It could,” Eddie finished. “Lots of people will die or get stuck in some… time loop, I don’t know.”

“They can teleport, too,” Peter added. “So, if he takes enough people, he can hold them hostage or… or… something bad.”

Daniel leaned back in his chair. “So, what I’m hearing is that New York shouldn’t do the lights because this guy can conduct and control energy around him and convert it to his own use.” He looked at Mary. “I bet that’s how they were able to lift Spider-Man off the ground by converting the energy around him.”

Ricco cocked an eye at Daniel. “You understood what he was saying?”

“I _did_ major in chemistry, you know.”

Donny looked at Daniel then back at Peter. “But you don’t know if they’ll do this?”

The two reporters nodded their heads as Peter said, “I know it’s farfetched, but it makes since.”

“But why?” Jason asked. “Why target New York?”

“Yeah,” Mary said after popping her gum. “Why here? What’s their aim?”

“And are they teaming up with that Venom?” Donny said bitterly to himself, low enough for Eddie to hear. “This is what I think,” Donny said. “If it concerned you two enough to come down her and tell us in person instead of using the phone, then I’ll look into it and contact S.H.I.E.L.D. I know a few guys who work there who can help.” He pulled out his pocket notebook. “I have to call in about Venom anyways,” Eddie felt his heart drop. “The Avengers want to take ‘em.”

The Avengers.

 _The Avengers?_ Eddie leaned back in his chair, trying not to look nervous. _Venom, we’re really way over our head!_ “Like _thee_ Avengers? With Captain America and the Hulk?”

Donny answered, “Yep, that’s them. They specialize in that type of stuff... the type my team can’t.”

 ** _The what?_** Venom snorted suddenly. If they were out and here, Peter could imagine Venom pacing towards the door with their hands on the back of their head. **_What the hell are they called? The Avengers?_** Eddie felt an eye roll. **_That’s a stupid ass name. I bet their stupid ass people._**

 _But they’re good,_ Peter responded. _I want to be part of that group—that team! They’re so appreciated and admired by everyone. I would kill to be on their team._

Venom suddenly fell still at the desperation at his voice. All this time—how could they not see it! He stayed at the shitty newspaper, hung his first headline photo on Mr. Russo’s wall, followed every story—every line, and fought every bad guy to get to… be…

**_Noticed._ **

_What?_ Peter’s head perked up. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

Mary let out a big “Ha!” and rolled her head back laughing. “You’re a good kid with a semi-living-dead reporter who needs a shower.” She gave him a doubtful look, smirking, “Leave this to real heroes. You, you’re just some _kid._ ”

“Hey, now, Mary,” Donny warned.

Jason threw an arm out at Peter, backing her up. “Donny, please—this is five-year-old.” Peter’s shoulders flinched at his voice. “Ya even hav' a tab on 'em when he comes on scene.”

Peter shot his eyes up at Donny. Donny has seen so many things in his life, but Peter’s hurtful blue eyes will never leave his mind. Donny clinched his and glared his eyes at Jason then back at Peter and Eddie. “Peter, son,” his voice was softer now, and it reminder Peter of his uncle. “I know you want to help, but Jason’s right.” The taste was bitter in his mouth. He looked at his team, nodded, and everyone left quietly except Eddie. He shook his head at the deputy respectfully. “You’re in high school, about to graduate in a year— _everyone_ on this team is proud of you even if they don’t show it. I can't watch you get hurt, Peter. I can't do that to you or myself.”

Peter didn't say anything. He was right, Donny. It’s best for Peter Parker not to get involve, but that doesn’t mean Spider-Man can’t jump in the action! He met Venom twice, so he has a better advantage than the rest. “Alright, Donny,” Peter sighed. “But, I’m going to need to write a story. My boss wants it in his hands on Tuesday.”

“Yeah, I know, Peter,” Donny said, giving him a grin. He reached out his hand, Peter and Eddie shaking it. “Better be on your way, huh?” When Donny stood up, they did the same.

“Yeah,” Eddie said. “The hospital isn’t far from here, is it?”

Donny walked them out to the lobby where his team talked to the kids. “No, not at all! Just down the street on the right. I’ll call you in for Eddie, okay?” Jason was the first to notice them come. He left the group and started towards them. “I just hope nothing dramatic happens today. I hate doing stuff in the rain.”

Eddie nodded in agreement, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. “Same here. Don’t like thunder storms much.” If Eddie were to live in New York, his first thing he would do is befriend Donny. He seems like a nice man with a good job but a shitty-ass team.

“Hey, boss,” Jason’s eyes twinkled and swirled.

“Jason,” Donny nodded his head at him, acting like he was wearing his cowboy hat. “Need something?”

Jason locked eyes with Eddie. “I wanna ask Mr. Brock something real fast.”

Eddie glanced at Peter and Donny. “Go ahead, Peter,” he said. “I’ll meet you over there with the rest.” When they left, Eddie turned his attentions to Jason, asking, “You got me, so, what do you want?”

Jason looked left, right, and then at him. “We need to talk somewhere else.”

 

Jason led Eddie to a private room in the back where files and finished reports sit. The room smelled like eggs and mussy paper. The light burned and buzzed over the filing cabinets and spare desk. It wasn’t a big room, but it wasn’t small either. It was a rectangle room, long and narrow with rows and rows of filing cabinets and desk blocking some pathways. If anyone was really measuring, this room was about the width of five men standing shoulder-to-shoulder.  There was a window, but it was too small for a person to fit through, and there were black bars on the outside. Even if a person wanted to come in and steal something, it was going to be difficult. The walls were painted a dark green, but it looked black at first without the light. The floor was a dark purple and red carpet. Doesn’t match the walls at all, but it’s a floor. The brown door to the room didn’t have a window for anyone to look through, and Eddie noticed that there was a lock on the inside when Jason showed him in. The room felt crammed with two people, which made this meeting uneasy at the start.

“Look, Eddie,” Jason started. He leaned against the door, blocking Eddie from leaving. Not that he wanted to leave. He loves hearing threats and stories from pricks as big as him; it’s what he lives for. Venom, on the other hand, poked at Eddie to let him eat him and call it a day. “I wanna ask ya something.”

“I understand that,” Eddie said, crossing his arms over his chest, matching Jason’s stander. “If you’re thinking about me being Venom, I’m not.”

Jason shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

“Oh,” Eddie said as he cocked an eyebrow doubtfully. “Then what is it? Because I’ve been getting this… _vibe_ ever since yesterday.” Rain lightly tapped against the small window. “And I want you to know that I’m not scared of you.”

Jason shrugged carelessly. “I know. I wouldn’t be, either.” He took a deep breath in then out. “I was lookin’ at da footage of ta bridge, an’ I think I kno’ who the guy is.”

 _He’s giving me a lead, Venom,_ he told themselves. “Who?”

“Eugene Thompson,” He said as his eyes grew cold.

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh. “How? How was it him?”

“That’s da problem,” Jason said. “It don’t make the cut.” He straightened himself as his eyes glanced around nervously as if he was being watched. “I thought to myself that it ain’t him becau’ I watched him get on ta bus fer home,” he bit his lip.

“Okay? Still don’t see where this is going,” Eddie said.

Jason ran a hand through his hand then let his fingertips touch his lips. He felt sick thinking of this. He shut his eyes and shallowed. “That’s the point,” he said. “I was lookin’ at footage of him walking home when the show ended on the bridge.”

Eddie shook his head, smiling in disbelief. “Are you telling me that there are two Eugene Thompsons walking the street? Because I can tell you that he was sick when I got home.” His face softened when Jason’s eyes kept straight and even. “There’s no way, officer,” he breathed.

“I want to believe that it ain’t him,” he shifted uncomfortably. “It’s _him_ , but it’s not him. I kno' the kid. Fighting? Oh, yeah, he does that. Threating to attack the city an' possibly kill?” He shook his head. “I don’t believe it. It ain’t him. You said it yer-self, a time lope or something.”

Eddie put his arms in the air. “What do you want me to do about it? Because I have no clue what you want me to do.”

“Does he seem off to ya? Like personality change?”

Eddie shook his head. He knows Flash's the school bully and owns it with pride, but that’s just a part he has to play for the others. Flash doesn’t want to hurt people—he wants to do the opposite. Eddie knows that kid better than his parents, along with Jesse, when it came to being a good person. Whatever he was around the cops, Eddie knew Flash would be on his best behavior. “No. Just after I got home, he got sick,” Eddie said, thinking. He felt the clocks and gears turning within his mind, and Venom was connecting everything they knew about time jumping and the possibility that an alternate Flash was here. The possibility of that was low, but with the time traveling and power the guy has, it's possible. Very possible.

“Do you think they’re connected?” Jason asked, his voice dropping to a concern. “Like Peter said, the guy controls energy. Maybe he has a ba’ vibe that’s makin’ Eugene sick? Like—”

“He’s the better person,” Eddie finished, a lightbulb lighting up. “But, how do you know it’s him?”

Jason’s throat tighten. “I heard his voice under the mask, and there’s a dash cam’ that catches his eyes, but,” his eyes shifted down thoughtfully. “Their eyes were too dark, too heavy to be his.” He shifted back up. “Do you understand what I’m sayin’?”

“There are two Eugene Thompsons.” Eddie said as his mind began to turn. “Ones good and the other is bad. Our Eugene has positive energy in the air even though he’s not, and the other is all around bad.” This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. “If that’s it, then is the bad one going after him to complete him?”

Officer Jason shrugged again. “I don' kno'. All I can go by is wha' I kno'. I jus’ wanted to kno’ if ya knew.”

Eddie bit his cheeks. This was going to be hard. The person wants Venom, he knows that much, and he wanted a bird and a crow. Was Flash, _his_ Flash, the bird because he was always happy? Or is he the crow, bring misery to others around him? He’s has let Venom take over him to talk to Peter… or he could tell him to make this less difficult.

 ** _Don’t you dare think about that!_** Venom shouted at him. **_That’s a stupid idea!_**

 _It’s keeping him safe, yeah, but we’re in trouble, V._ He sighed to himself, shutting his eyes and resting his head. “I didn’t know, officer,” he breathed tiredly. “This is new to me, too. I just hope that the other isn’t after him.” He looked up at him. Thunder shook the building and the rain pounded at the window. “I’ll keep an eye on him, officer.”

“I hope so,” Jason said gravely. “Because I don’t wanna tell Jess what’s abou’ to go down.” The hair raised on his arms and shivered. “Please, Eddie,” his voice softened. “Just watch fur ‘em. I need ‘em ta-be alright.” He leaned off the door and opened it for Eddie. “Com’ on. We’re done here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost done with Chapter 17. I'll try to have it up before 9:00 tonight! I have to post tonight instead of tomorrow because of plans and school.


	17. The Abyss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He opened his eyes again to a sharp pain in his chest. It shocked him at first, his body shaking at the carving knife in his chest, but he relaxed, a smile cracking on his lips, satisfied tears falling. He felt his warm blood starting to drain down his chest and bleed through his shirt. His eyes saw black starts swirling around his head and in his eyes. Is this what dying feels like?"

After Eddie and Peter left for the hospital, Jason went home.

All of this was insane to him, and he normally never gets scared. Jason wanted to be a police officer more than anything in the world when he was a kid. His mother was a cop, his grandfather was a cop, his grandfather’s father was a Deputy; his great-grandfather’s mother was the first woman to be Sheriff, and his great-great-grandmother’s parents were cops (the dad as a captain and the mother as the first woman Deputy). To him, being a person of the law meant respect and leadership if you’re put on the right team with the right people.

His team was nothing like the rest. Ricco is a transfer from Arizona, and he’s the driver for operations and home check-ups for Child Services. Tough and big, this man could stop a garbage truck if he wanted to. Daniel has OCD, which means he reads over every report and paperwork before they turn it in to Cassie, the girl that files everything, and wipes down everyone’s desk every morning, lunch break, snack break, coffee break, and closing time. He also has a degree in chemistry. That means he’s called on when there’s a bomb or a large drug bust. He’s a good man, but Jason wishes he would stop nagging at him to clean his desk for him to wipe down. Mary is the second toughest girl he knows; the first is his mother. She’s really good at interrogations and building trust with people. She loves to talk to others, but her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard. Donny, the Dad of the group, is, well, Dad. He makes sure everyone is working together perfectly, and he settles problems between any of the officers. He’s the first one to make the call for anyone to work or proceed on a case. If it’s a team thing, he’s head of command. They’re a small group, very small compared to the rest of the teams at the office, but they work together.

That’s why he has to work alone on this one.

In the group, Jason’s the privet-eye that gets information by… well, God knows. He group up in the Bronx—the part where no one should go—so, he had his ways of getting information on cases, criminals, and any official within New England—including his teammates. He hates knowing secrets about them, but it’s better for him. He doesn’t want to be a jerk, really, but he had to play that role. Who makes roles, anyways? He would rather play the fool than the jerk. If he thought about too long, he would fall back down the hole. He just got out of being depressed after he found his cat, and he hasn’t thought about killing himself with his own gun for three weeks now. He didn’t want to be the jerk. He didn’t want that.

Maybe that’s why he does things alone.

His home was about forty-five minutes away from work when he drove his white cop car. He lives in a small, two-story, baby blue house with a small front lawn and faded white picked fence with a baby blue gate. There’s a white porch and shutters around the white window frames. The path way is in the center of the yard to lead to the porch steps, but you have to turn a hard right to get to the white door. On the porch are newspapers, old pants, and bowl of cat food for the stray cats in the area.

To the left, there’s a porch swing for him to sit on his days off and pet the cats as they come and good. Sometimes, a stray dog jumps the fence and begs for food. Of course, he give them food and pats their head on the steps. He loves animals. All animals. He loves them so much that he has a cat and dog paw prints tattooed on his back—the cat paw on his right shoulder blade and the dog paw on the left. If he wasn’t a police officer, he would be a vet at a shelter in Tennessee or Wisconsin. He didn’t care as long as he was working with animals. At least animals don’t talk back and give him grief. Plus, they keep secrets. The amount of times he’s cried to his kitten about his job and cases adds up to accidents in the world.

His mother never wanted him to begin with. He was an accident. There are four siblings in the Marlon Family: Jordon, 36, Richard, 34, Luna, 28, and him, 27. She wanted to stop at Luna, but he ruined it. Three boys and one girl, it was them against the world. Jordon, the oldest brother, lives in the Queens and the captain of his unit. Richard is a bus driver for the busing company and part-time officer at some schools. Luna...

He parked his car on the curb across the street from his house and checked the mailbox. The heat and water bill are due at the end of the week, he can pay it. _Count to ten, touch the gate, and go in, Jason,_ he thought to himself. _Don’t lose it, not yet._ He counted to ten, touched the gate, and went into his home after wiping his feet on the welcome mat. He has to do this every day to center himself again, even if it’s late or drunk. He doesn’t drinks anymore. Not anymore.

After shutting the door, his kitten came trotting to him on her three legs from the kitchen, which is on the other side of the living room. She circled around his legs, rubbing her head, then stood on back paws for her left paw to reach for him. He smiled softly at his little kitten and scoped her up in his arms, scratching her ears. He found her one day when he was out on patrol with Donny in the passenger seat. She was in bad shape—thin, dirty, and a bad front leg. He took her to the vet with his captain holding the little thing, shivering in his arms. There was no tag on them, and there was no owner that came to get them three days late. Jason saw this as a sign from God to take the cat home. Besides, home didn’t feel like home after Luna—He took in a shaky breath as he sat down in his armchair. He ran his fingers through McScuffles’ fur, her purring in delight, her bright golden eyes shut. He thought she was smiling when he does this to her.

In the kitchen, he heard the back door shut and boots on the wooden floor. He didn’t flinch at it though; he knows who it is. “I did it,” he said as he kept looking at the blank T.V. on the wall. “I did wha’ ya ask.”

“I know,” Mr. Flash said as he leaned against the wall leading to the kitchen. He was several feet from Jason. “I watched from the back of the room.”

Jason was right.

“You did good, Jason,” Mr. Flash said, pushing his back off the wall and wondered in front of the T.V. to see Jason. His eyes lingered over Mr. Flash’s shoulder at a photo of his siblings from three years ago. “You did everything corrected, Jason. You did everything right to help me.”

Jason swallowed nervously. He placed his kitten at his feet and watched her waddle away into the kitchen. He loves that cat more than anything. “Do you need me to do anything else?” For some odd reason, his voice started to shake. “I did all ya asked.” He felt his throat tighten again, and his chest started to squeeze. His eyes weaved between blurs and black stars over his eyes. He felt his arms grow limp and his legs grew heavy.

“I know you did, I know you did,” he cooed, his head nodding understandably. “But,” his voice a light and sweet as a fake smile crossed his face. “I don’t need a _police officer_ to be running around, knowing the truth about me, do we, Jason?”

Jason lurched forward, standing on his two feet. In his chest, he could’ve sworn that there was a hand around his heart, gripping at the strings by claws. The claws burned and ripped at the muscles around his heart and into his lung, stopping air exiting. He began to cough at first, not bothering to show himself being broken, but his body made it clear that he needed air. He tried to suck air, but his chest caved in under his ribs, breaking one in the processes. His backbone felt as if he was being stretched and could snap at any moment.

Jason was right about somethings he said to Eddie. One: This Flash could control energy around him. Two: Bad energy. Peter was also right about the “controlling of moments within ones body”—whatever that meant. He saw it on the bridge with Spider-Man, and he did hear a bone snap, which means he was at the mercy of Mr. Flash. He held his life in his hands, and he could escape. This wasn’t going to end well for him, and Jason knew it, too. Maybe that’s why he went home soon after Eddie and them left. It’s a shame, really. If he got a chance to know Eddie a bit more, maybe move to California two weeks after he left, got a job and a home with McScuffles, found Eddie, befriend him, have a one night-stand—shit, maybe date!—he would’ve been better off. He is cute for a reporter, Eddie. And, if he’s right—which he always is—they were the same age.

Jason smiled at the thought of him dating. He hasn’t dated ever since Luna… _oh, Luna,_ he thought to himself. _I’m so sorry._ He shut his eyes a replayed his memory of her again…

 

It wasn’t his fault, but it happened anyways. Luna, his older sister but the baby to him and his brothers. She was a bright person, always happy with a smile on her face, and very positive about outlooks. Luna was special because she was born under a lunar eclipse with the most beautiful eyes, her right eye a bright green and her left a silver blue, but she was blind and had a seeing dog named Fester; he had a blue collar. She encouraged her brothers to do their own thing instead of being a police officer. Despite being blind, she was a photographer, an artist with no eyes. She was so good at it, too. She went by what she heard when she took photos. She had the better grammar then the rest of them, and she was the smartest.

Luna was the first person Jason came out to when he was seventeen, and she was so proud of her pansexual brother. “Can you take me to Pride with you? I wanna take pictures. Maybe I’ll hook up with someone.”

He rolled his eyes at his sister. “Like who, sis?”

She shrugged. “Love is blind, Jazzy. I can’t see whom I’m in love with. I can’t see their features, but I can hear their heart.” She went with him to Pride, and she was able to drag his brothers with them. Jordan met a bisexual woman, and they got married two years after. Richard? Richard’s okay with his brother being like this, and he’s looking for no one. He’s happy single.

Everything was going good, but May 2015 happened. Jason was dating a man named Travis. After he introduced him to Luna, he had to leave because there was a call. He left his sister with Travis, thinking that she was going to be safe. When he drove home, a call came over the radio. An address. His sister’s address. He punched it with the lights on, racing—beating everyone to her house. He raced out of his car and up her apartment on the fifth floor, pushing people out of the way. When he made it, he saw his boyfriend holding a carving knife on homeowners at their neck. Without thinking about his lover, he pulled out his gun and shot him in the shoulder. The owner moved for him to kick him in the chest. Travis’s back went against the wall. He leaned up to do some damage to him, but Jason let out a perfect right hook, knocking him out cold on the floor.

He looked over to his left at his sister’s opened apartment and started shaking violently. It took him three lunges to be by her side, pressing his hands over the wound by her heart. She couldn’t see him, but she was looking up at him. “Jason? Jason? Is that you?” Her voice was shaking like leaves in a hurricane.

“Yeah, sis,” he was choking back tears, but they were falling anyways. “I’m here. I’m here.” His voice started to crack. With a shaking hand, he yelled in his radio, “I need a medic on the fifth floor on Green Av’, now!” He let go of his radio and pressed his hands back down. He could still feel her blood on his fingers. “Help’s coming, Luna,” he returned his voice, but it wasn’t stopping breaking. “Just hang on.”

She crept her hand up, fingers shaking. He took it and held it close. She squeezed it hard. “I’m going to be fine, Jazzy.”

“Luna, I—”

“I’m… so… proud of… you… three…” Her voice grew soft and her strength faded from his hand. Her chest stopped moving and her heart of gold never bet again.

At first, he just said her name, shaking as her hand fell from his. Then he called out for her. Then he screamed it. He pulled up his sister and held her in his arms, calling out to her, begging her to come back. When he thought moments couldn’t grow worse, he heard, “Jason?”

His head glanced up and his heart sunk farther down. His brothers were standing there, Jordon, his eyes wide in horror, and Richard, his mouth open slightly, trying to find words to say. Jason started shaking his head at his brothers, shaking his head, repeating in a shattered voice, “I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t fast enough.”

He tore his eyes from his brothers to the gun just an arm’s reach from him. In a blink of a second, Jason reached for the gun and slid it into his mouth, dropping his sister so that she couldn’t see what he was doing, Jordon sprinting in the room, Richard following behind him. His tongue remembers the warm barrow in his mouth, and his fingers slipping over the loaded gun’s trigger to pull back. He could be gone in a second, just a second, and no one would miss him. He smiled to himself, breaking at the thought. He pulled the trigger back—Jordon pushing him back, sending the bullet out the window, hitting the brick building across from the street. Richard was over him, holding down his wrist as Jordon ripped the gun out of his hands, unloading it, then put it on safety for extra measures.

Jason was looking up at his brothers, sobbing like he was three again. Jordon pulled him up and held him tightly, placing him between his neck and shoulder. Richard was calling in from shoulder radio then he hugged his little brother, too.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Richard nearly shouted at his brother, but he didn't want to upset him even more. "We already lost Luna. Please, I don't want to lose you, too. Not now. Not like that." 

“It’s okay, Jason,” Jordon said, his voice even. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. It’s not—”

“I’m sorry!” He shouted through sobs. “I’m so sorry, Luna! I’m sorry!”  

When she was laid to rest with her dog, who died by a slit throat—discovered later that he bit Travis—it was sunny outside. His brothers came in their uniforms, each holding a picture she took of them, and burnt the ends at her grave. Soon after that, Jason went on his trip to Hell.

 

He opened his eyes again to a sharp pain in his chest. It shocked him at first, his body shaking at the carving knife in his chest, but he relaxed, a smile cracking on his lips, satisfied tears falling. He felt his warm blood starting to drain down his chest and bleed through his shirt. His eyes saw black starts swirling around his head and in his eyes. Is this what dying feels like? He felt him being let go, and stumbled forward before he fell to his side, his head landing on the love sofa, the knife digging deeper. He heard the skin ripped and muscles torn. He could radio himself in, but this death felt… right, almost.

His head was lifted, but he kept his eyes shut. “You are _nothing_ ,” Mr. Flash hissed before throwing his head down on the sofa, leaving in a glitch.

His breath staggered for a moment. This was a good way to go. He wanted to overdose last year, but this was better. Yep, this was perfect for him. The only thing that made him concerned was leaving behind McScuffles, but Donny promised to take care of her if something should happen to him. Donny never breaks promises.  

“No.”

His eyes opened weakly. Someone was here. A girl. It had to be a girl. He felt small hands grasp his shoulder and pulled him to face her. Her black skin was light and beautiful in the rain’s light. Her brown eyes just as bright, just as perfect and happy like his Luna. Her pink Hello Kitty shirt had a heart in the middle, the white kitten waving at him. Her black hair looked fluffy from a morning shower in pigtails. Her eyes burned in tears as she started to cry. She was scare. She was in shock.

“No,” her voice repeated as he small hands tried to stop the blood. “No, you can’t die.”

His head was turning back and forth, trying to gather what strength he had left. “Who…?” He felt his eyes roll back but he stopped himself.

“I’m Lizzy,” she said, frightfully. “I’m Lizzy Dawn.”    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit short, but it's good... I think. Anyways, I'll try to post again on Friday or Saturday, but who knows on what you decide. Yes, you decide if he lives or dies. Choose his fate and the rest will be up to me >:3   
> Happy reading!  
> Love,   
> Number1120


	18. Confession Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do you think Peter, Abigale, and Eddie would react to each other's secert?

When Eddie checked Jesse and Flash into the hospital, he grabbed himself any cup of coffee. Black coffee with two sugars. He found out that this keeps Venom calm with the two sugars, and it keeps Eddie going. If they were running late, he would grab himself a bagel—no, two bagels without coffee down at the dinner in his hometown. If it was up to Venom, they would eat Hobo Joe on the corner when they pass, but Eddie keeps reminding him that only bad guys get eaten, not good guys.

How could he tell the difference? Well, no one can. It’s a gut feeling that ties his hands together in tight barbed wire. It hurts Eddie when he picks their next meal. It’s a person, a life! How could someone kill someone and live with it? Good gosh, being a host is hard.

He sits next to Peter in the waiting room, who was in the middle between him and Abigale. “You can go home, Peter,” Eddie said before he took a drink. “I’m going to be here for a while.”

Peter kept looking straight, shaking his head. “I don’t wanna go home.”

 _Please,_ Eddie thought to himself. _Please don’t turn me into a Dad._ He looked up at the ceiling, but he was looking at the sky. _I can’t be a Dad figure._

Once, only once, he wanted a kid, a baby girl. He didn’t know why he wanted a daughter, he must thought that having a girl was best for him so he didn’t have to teach her how to tie a necktie or how to ask a girl out. He sucked at that. He thought that hearing girl drama and dresses and smelling nail polish was best for him. He does have an older sister, but she doesn’t talk to him as much as she used to. Eddie doesn’t blame her; no, he wouldn’t talk to himself either.

“Is it because it’s raining?” He joked.

Peter shrugged. “No, not really.” His voice was blink as he kept looking at the peach wall in front of him. There was a poster with health information for kids. “I just don’t feel like going home. Not with this story getting out of hand.”

“Tell me about it,” Eddie huffed. “There’s some much shit happening that I can’t wrap my head around it.” He drunk his coffee. “At first, I thought this was going to be a simple report—”

“But it turned into a spiral of time,” Peter crossed his arms and slouched down, biting his lip. He knows Eddie can hear Venom when they talk, and he knows Jesse can hear them, too. He wants to bring this conversation up, but that would mean telling him about Spider-Man. It would be easier for both of them. “Can we talk about something? I mean, I have to tell you something.”

Abigale leaned over and looked at both of them confused. Her hands pulled her headphones over her ears then signed: Do you think we can go somewhere private?

He took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. He wished he didn’t quick smoking around this time. _V, you’re going to hate this._

 ** _What?_** Peter his head at Venom’s voice.

He looked at both of the kids, got up, and went to the front desk nurse. The woman had bright brown, short haired curls, and she was wearing dark blue scrubs. Her blues eyes glanced up at Eddie then back at the computer. “I already told you that CPS will consider you as their parent,” she said tiredly. Venom could sense that she hadn’t have a good night’s rest. She working too hard, too much on herself. They noticed that she didn’t have a ring on her finger.

“No, I’m going to ask that,” Eddie said. “I was hoping you have an empty room that I could use for a moment.” Her eyes could cut into him. “Please?”

She pushed herself from the desk and stood. “Then you’ll stop bothering me?”

Eddie placed his right hand over his heart and two fingers on the left. “Boy Scouts Honor, ma’am.” He didn’t mean to sound like an idiot, but he did.

She rounded the desk and waved a hand to have him follow. Eddie glanced over his shoulder at Peter and Abigale and nodded his head for them to come along. If he was going to do this, he’s going to do it right. There was a possibility that this was going to blow up in his face, but he’s will to take a hit. Would Venom?

 ** _No,_** a sharp voice said. **_No! This is wrong, Eddie! And you know it!_**

 _What’s going on out there?_ Jesse’s voice rung thoughtfully in Peter’s head.

Peter shrugged as if she were there. _I don’t know, Jesse._ They rounded a corner. _Focus on the doctor. I’ll tell you later, okay?_

Jesse rubbed her arms in the cold doctor’s room with the psychologist. _Sure, go head._ She was silent for the rest of the time.

They followed the nurse to conference room with a long table and chairs on each side. The room was a dark blue with matching carpet. “I’ll be back later to make sure you didn’t do anything illegal in here,” she said. If they weren’t kidding themselves, she was almost like Ms. Dawn. She shut the door behind them and left.

**_Short people scare us, Eddie._ **

Eddie went to the office window and looked around. No one was near, and no one would bother them… hopefully. And he felt comfortable when he said, “They scare you more than they scare me, bud.” His hands tugged on the blinds to shut the world out for this show. He pulled out a chair and offered the two to sit down. His coffee in his right hand on the table and his left on the armchair. “Peter, there’s no easy where to say this, so, I’ll get right to it.”

Peter swallowed nervously. “Before you tell, let me start?” His heart went to his ears, drowning white noise and the rings. He glanced behind him at Abigale the back at Eddie. “Wanna translate?”

“Sure,” Eddie answered. He held up his hands, ready to show to help out Abigale. “Go for it, Peter,” he said confidently.

Peter didn’t know a better way to say his secret, really. He didn’t know how he was going to speak it or form the words for it. He never thought of telling someone about his life, doubling as a hero and a student. How was he going to manage his college life between saving people? He couldn’t answer that. He bit his lips nervously, his hands rubbing on his thighs. His lips parted and the words spilled like a milk carton. “I’m Spider-Man.”

Those three words hit Abigale like a freight train. She wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly, so she waited for Eddie to finish signing. That’s why he was so good at pictures of Spider-Man! That makes more sense! He looked nervous. He acted as if he punched a baby and ran it over by accident. The more she thought about it, the better she understood why he didn’t tell anyone like how she hasn’t told about Lasher and the green headphones.

Her hands moved for Eddie, and Eddie said, “She asks, ‘So, you’re the Bug from Queens?’.”

Peter nodded, processing his secret he told. That’s all he had to say to them. He didn’t know what else to say to them. His stomach started to twist into a knot. Guilt and shame are the feels. Damn, this wasn’t a good Saturday. Even though he felt this, he felt a little bit better telling someone. He didn’t have to lie about the bruises or the cuts on his body anymore to these two people. Will he tell Jesse and Flash? Not a chance. Will Abigale tell? She’s wouldn’t do that, he knows she wouldn’t. He’s told her many secrets even if she never heard. Sometimes he would write it down for her to read, and she would write a response back.

He glanced at Eddie, his eyes lowing again at the table. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” his voice mumbled. “I know you were looking for them— _me_ , but I couldn’t tell you. I… I didn’t know how you would respond.”

Eddie grinned at him, a trusting grin. “It’s okay, Peter.” He sat up in his chair and drunk his coffee. “I’m going next—”

Abigale’s hands moved rapidly, eyes growing big: I want to go next.

Eddie raised a brow. He only knew her for the time he had with her yesterday. Why would a stranger fell comfortable tell about herself to him? Because he’s a reporter. That’s what strangers do. They tell him stories for the world to hear or to share. Secrets can weigh you down like concrete in a pool. It’s always good to tell people things, even the darkest deeds are told. There’s a song out there about that. Doesn’t it go something like ‘two can keep a secret if one of the is dead’? Is that it?

“She’s going next,” Eddie said Peter. “She seems pretty excited about it, too.”

Her hands cuffed the headphones, her thumbs brushing over the speakers. _Ready, Lasher?_

They shook their head. **_No. I’m backing out. I can’t do this._**

 _Yes,_ she said as she took off the headphones. _Yes we can. We are Lasher, remember? Together, we can do anything._

There was a reason why Lasher picked her. She was confident for anything new to her. She encouraged others and herself to do new things, take new risk, and try again. **_Okay,_** they said finally. She smiled approvingly at them. **_But, if Venom comes out and tries to do something—_**

 _Let’s get there when we get there, okay?_ She responded hopefully, almost like her mother. She shut her eyes and felt Lasher swirl around her eyes and body. _We can do this._ Her thoughts were hopeful, holding Lasher in her arms with on every word.

Their eyes shot open, dark forest green threads wrapping around their body, connecting each nerve and cell within her blood and vines. At first, the silky threads was cold as it weaved together, but it turned quickly warm to match her. Her green dress disappeared and sewed into the inky suit, and a sweatshirt formed easily. She felt herself fall under, letting Lasher take fall control. She was covered head-to-toe in the forest green suit. When they knew it was over, Lasher crossed their legs, sitting up properly to keep their host professional. She is a lady in a dress, you know? Don’t want anything awful to happen to her.

They folded their hands in their lap, waiting politely for Eddie and Peter to say something. Peter wanted to leave. He didn’t know what to say to her… or them. A sweet girl like her with a monster inside. Whoa. Who would’ve guessed it? She never showed anyone that she had this in her, defiantly to Peter. How long has it been a part of her? Peter was processing it all, fixing his eyes on them. They didn’t show teeth like Venom did—it really looked like his Spider Mask, the eyes curled up in a black outline and white in the center. Their hands were claws, shinning under the room light, but careful. Peter looked their chest—

 **“Spider boy,”** the voice nearly made Peter jump into Eddie’s lap. His eyes glanced up at him. It was a male voice connected to a girl body. What? _How?_ **“Eyes up here.”** A finger pointed on the side of their head like a gun. They do have a mouth with teeth. Sharp teeth like Venom, but it was covered by the green once he was done talking.

How was Eddie and Venom feeling? There was a lot going through their head, but Venom was going nuts. It was as if a fire was set in their brain, lighting everything on fire. It was hit-the-red-button, call-the-coast-guard, and fire alarms all at once. Before they met Eddie in the lab, they were forced and experimented on to make life. To make another one like them. Venom did make an offspring, a kid. _Their_ kid, one almost like them but better, hopefully. An awful thought occurred to Venom. Did… did he even named them? His offspring? Eddie felt sadness and it sunk his heart. **_I never named them._** Venom said. **_I never named them, Eddie._**

What threw Eddie off was her relaxed stage when it took control. She had bounded with it for a while and it wasn’t her first time with it taking over her. She took it so well, so easy when she fell under, and comfortable controlling her. Suddenly, Eddie felt tears starting to fall. Venom’s grief was Eddie’s grief. They felt it together. Greif. Guilt. Here was a kid—their kid with a girl host, but with a male voice. Eddie studied the dark green symbiote. They almost like them when Beast Mode is turned on. Instead of a full body suit, they had a sweatshirt, a hoodie with a front pocket. There was a spider on the sleeve that looked as if it was sown on. Instead of the hoodie being tight, it was loose, not showing—

 **“What did we just say?”** They said, fingers snapping at them. Their voice was calm and dark, heavy and polite. They almost sounded like Venom, but not as rough. Eddie looked up at their face, which gave Eddie time to process how they and Venom looked almost alike. **“It makes her feel… uncomfortable. We feel judged.”**

Eddie was looking for words, but all that came out was, “You can talk in a male voice but not in her voice? And those headphones are the same color as you.”

They nodded. **“Yes. She only has a mind voice to communicate with me. We took the liberty for talking for her.”** A simple smile crossed Laser's face and smirked to themselves.  **"Those 'headphones'-as you observed-are my gift to her. When she wears them, we fix her hearing in her ears so she could hear everything."** Lasher winked at Peter, saying,  **"We enjoy rock n' roll the most. Sometimes, she wants to listen to the rain fall. I don't like rain, but,"** their eyes looked off thoughtfully,  **"it makes her happy."**

“Who or what are you?” Peter asked. He felt a hint of terror grow because this thing must had been inside her for a while, never introducing themselves to Peter. He, or they, know his secrets and struggles. He quickly sighed to himself. This deserves a milkshake to wrap his head around. If they're were anything like Venom, then they must eat humans. What do they target the most? How come they never wanted to fight Peter as Spider-Man? They never bothered to fight him, and they were never caught. So, they must stock their pray before they eat like a wolf. They watch, listen, and learn from their target and know when an officer is around. "Do you hurt other people?" Peter asked. "Like, for fun?"

 **“We are Lasher,”** Lasher’s milky white eyes shined in the room light when they looked at Eddie. **“And, no-we do not hurt for fun. My host doesn't like the sight of blood or me picking at my food. We hunt, killer, fest, then find our next victim. We have a list of people we go after."** Lasher leaned forward in their seat, their eyes taring from Peter's to Eddie. Their eyes were careful and easy. **"We want to see you,”** he said simply. **" _I_ want to see them."** 

Peter was in the middle of the two, glancing his head back and forth. Eddie wasn’t budging as he twirled his coffee. “Promise you wouldn’t fight each other.”

Peter felt the tension rise between the two. He leaned back in his chair and started to sink. If something was going to happen, he rather change into Spider-Man under the table and solve it himself—

 _"Fight each other."_ Eddie's voice echoed in his ears. What does that mean?

 **“Promise,”** Lasher said.

Eddie looked at Peter and shut his eyes. “Like I said earlier,” he opened his eyes and Peter’s blood froze in horror. White eyes. Clear, snow white eyes swirled marvelously and horribly. “There’s no easy **way to say this to you.”** His voice slid perfectly into a different tone, changing him completely. The familiar black ink began to bubble on his arms and it started to wrap around Eddie’s throat. Peter watched Eddie Brock turn into something darker, something sinister. When the teeth came, Peter knew it wasn’t a nightmare. He knew he wasn’t asleep anymore. Why did he just go home? They rolled their shoulders as they grew taller in the seat. They’re head looked down at Peter, and the toothy smile grew and a raspy voice said, **“Hi.”** Venom waved at them, showing their clawed fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm enjoying this story s far.


	19. The Space between Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Their arms and hands started to shake. He was so scared to near them, but the hug, his arms, the warmth—it felt right."

Peter was caught between screaming, crying, or saying nothing. Whichever one he was going to pick, he’s still going to panic. “ _Eddie?_ ” He said in disbelief.

Their head nodded.

Finally, he found the path to take, and it wasn’t the first option. He pushed out from the table and rushed to the door. At first, they thought he was running from them, but he grasped the black metal trashcan and threw-up instead. Peter didn’t know what caused it. Maybe it was watching Lasher take over sweet Abigale? Venom taking Eddie? Or was it both? He felt his pancakes leave his stomach along with a bitter taste of the ham sandwich he ate last night. He believes it’s most likely both. There’s a strong chance he might be wrong, but Peter is going to stick with this answer for now until he clears his head.

Besides, it started to make sense when he thought about it. He could hear Venom when Eddie was near, so, why did he notice it? Denial. He didn’t want to believe it himself; there was no reason. But Venom dropped a building on them! Almost killing him and Eddie! They came back with Eddie to his apartment, but it wasn’t connected to him when they were out. How did that work? Then, on the bridge and after—they did know their name. This shouldn’t shock him. But, everything after, it did.

Shaking, Peter stood up from his knees and sat in the chair, whiter than a ghost. “So, um,” Peter felt as if he couldn’t speak. “Um, did you, I don’t know,” he kept looking at the wall in front of him. “Did you… do you eat people? And how come I hear you?”

Both Lasher and Venom answered **“Yes,”** at the same time. **“But, I do not know you can hear us. It’s like Jesse and how she can hear us. We don’t know.”** Venom answered.  

“Awesome,” Peter breathed to himself in shock. "Why didn't you tell me at the bridge?"

Venom looked down as they twirled their finger. **"We anted to keep you safe, but it got worse afterwards. Gas Mask wanted us, so, we thought-** ** _I thought_ it was best not for you to know. It would've made the fight easier for you."**

"So, when you dropped the building, it was all... to... scare me?" Peter took a deep breath, his head processing it. "You were determined to fight me because of the Gas Mask guy?" When Venom said nothing, Peter asked, "You did all of the for me?

**"Because we didn't want you hurt,"** Venom answered, still not looking at Peter. **"Like we said, we thought it was best for you not to know. But it got out of hand real fast."**

Peter thought for a moment. Venom and Eddie were scare of hurting him. They were afraid of being near him on the bridge because they were a monster? It seems like a dumb idea, but it made since when he thought over the building being dropped on him and them threatening to attack more. If the Gas Mask man got his way, there was going to be an epic show down between the two. Then comes a horrified question. "Did you eat… their father?” His eyes looked up at Venom nervously. They shook their head calmly. “Okay, so, who did?”

**“We’re betting it was Gas Mask,”** Venom answered. Venom’s head unraveled like a string on a sweater, and Eddie’s face showed. Peter didn't realized how sleep deprived Eddie was. His eyes were swimming in his bags. His icy blue eyes were tired and lonely, but they hid a glimmer of hope and life. He needs to shave soon; it's looking scruffy. If Peter really did look, Eddie was human with an alien best friend. How many sleepless nights did they have to live through? A reporter from New York and California weren't so different after all. They were living simple lives with hard-knock chaos and storms. Peter smiled at Eddie thoughtfully. His idol in reporting didn't have it all together, but they weren't backing down from danger. That's his Eddie Brock.

“This is what we got from Officer Jason." Eddie folded their arms over their chest. "The person doing this is Flash, but it’s not our Flash. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s like him, but not him? If that makes any sense.” Eddie thought it over again. Maybe it did sound farfetched when he said it aloud. “Like, there’s a bad energy around this Flash and a good energy around our Flash?”

“Like an alternate universe Flash Thompson?” Peter’s mind started an equation. He leaned back in his chair. It sounded… _off_ , but it might be the answer. The glitching on the bridge and the bubble were made by energy. Energy from cars that were converted to the air particles that was around them under the bubble dome. If that were it, then the energy had to go somewhere. Energy like that doesn’t get wasted or absorb into a single person. No one is that powerful—the Hulk couldn’t do that! So, the energy has to stay in the air— _somewhere_! But… where? Where would that energy be stored where he could grab it again? If he uses to much or too little,, the energy can rip their cells apart and—

“That’s it!” Peter’s eyes grew wide as his mind began to write itself a plan. “That’s how he can slow down time! Of course! That’s how he can do it!” He scrambled into his pants pockets franticly searching for his black pen.

“Do what?” Eddie asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

“The glitching and him leaving, slowing down and speeding up time—Eddie!” Peter felt like a the guy who founded Apple. “The energy around him isn’t just around him or in him. It’s within the very threads of time!”

**“You sure this is the kid that’ll save us all?”** Lasher asked aloud to his host.

He felt her nodding. _Yep, this is the boy, Lash. Not only is he smart, but super cute. While we’re here, try to see if he would take Jesse to the dance._

**“Okay, changing subject.”** They looked back at Peter, who found his pen. **“If this is so, can you reverse it and not make him change time? We know you are the smartest in the class. Can't you, like, find an energy supplier strong enough to reverse their energy?”** Pause.  **"Abigale asked that, not me. Let's make that clear. I have no clue what the hell is going on in science class."**

There’s an idea.

“'Reverse'? If I do that, Abby, their has to be a ground and a wavelength between the space between space and time as he splits the two to leave." He tapped the table with his pen. Numbers and equations floated in front of his eyes connecting each other. "Well, there's an idea, but that's going to need a lot of power..." His eyes nearly popped of his head. "I can reverse it! Oh, my God! I can do that!” He stood up and went to the recycling bin for paper. He quickly looked over at them and said, “That’s a great idea, Abby! I can reverse it and stop the man in time before he jumps!" He grasped a pile of blank paper. " Just ignore me for a while. I have some work to do.” Peter went to work on the paper, excited about his discovery. Making up time is possible, but stopping it by itself is near to impossible. But anything’s possible in New York City. This is the Make It Anywhere City! If he can do it here, then he can do it anywhere.  

Once Eddie was under, Venom’s brow fell as they watched Peter work quickly as they took over again. They didn’t know what was weird—watching him get excited about math and numbers or Eddie just mentioning it made him find this. A large equation out there could solve this problem and explain this small human. Venom couldn’t help but admire the speed they were going to figure out the equation. He’s good. Very good. How could a small mind like his remember math equations and science? All human brains and minds are different, but they never thought they would see a math wizard working because of a statement.

But they remember that he was working, not wanting to be bothered by anyone in the room, which brings them to being left alone with Lasher, their offspring, their child.

**“So, Venom,”** Lasher said, swallowing nervously. He’s waited for the moment what felt like forever. All the words he wanted to say to them, everything he wanted to ask and learn about him left his head and fail to form words. He was looking at him—at them—as one. He started to feel a mixture of confusion and loneliness. He tried again. **“We—well, it’s more of a ‘I’ thing—”**

_Do you need help?_ He heard Abigale say. _Because I can._

**“No, I can do this.”** Lasher answered her.

Eddie poked Venom in the arm. _Say something, V! This is your kid!_

Venom leaned back in their seat and studied Lasher. **“You are smaller than I expected.”** Lasher flinched at his voice, surprise for him to be the first to talk. **“Green, even. Odd.”**

**“Is there a problem with green?”** Lasher questioned. **“Because we seem to like it.”** They crossed their arms to hug themselves. This was a bad idea. All of this was a bad idea. **“Do… do you like us green?”** Abigale could feel him overflow with emotions from a mixture of hurt, anger, disgust against themselves, and judgement. **“And what’s wrong with our height? This is a good height for us.”** They are the same height as Abigale, which is five-foot-four. The perfect height to reach the cookie jar on the third shelf at home. They were unraveling in front of them, feeling self-conscious about every little flaw about themselves. They were shorter than the rest, nothing like Venom or Carnage who is in Texas.

Venom rested their head on a hand. **“Maybe weak, too,”** they could feel Eddie screaming at them, asking ‘what the hell!?’.

Lasher could feel bitter disgust about themselves. **“But, we’re strong—”**

**“Mostly imperfect in every way possible,”** Venom noted almost carelessly.

Lasher wanted to leave. He wanted to go away and never come back again. Why did he think that this was a good idea? That’s when a sick and twisted thought came—Venom never looked for them when they were gone. Missing. Like any normal parent would do. Venom didn’t care about him—no, he didn’t care if they were dead or alive! Holy shit! That’s why they never looked for him! Lasher was made in a lab, forced to be made, a ** _fucking accident—_**

Venom towered over them, now. Their dark shadow lingering over them like the storm clouds outside. Lasher coward down in his chair, sinking low to themselves. Abigale felt nervous tears starting to fall from their eyes. He was scared. _They_ were scared. She shut their eyes, looking away from Venom. _Lash,_ her voice was soft and timid. _If you want to leave or go away, you can._

Just Lasher was about to do that, he felt large hands lift them from the chair. They did have time to react. They didn’t know what to do. Lasher first thought that he was going to be ripped from her body, leaving his perfect host, his best friend! But, instead of that happening, they felt their feet hitting the ground and strong arms wrap around them, holding them in an embrace.

Their arms and hands started to shake. He was so scared to near them, but the hug, his arms, the warmth—it felt right. It felt like the first time he heard Abigale listen to “The Greatest Showman” soundtrack for the first time. It was magical and made them feel awed and happy to hear the music. The moment was relived in Venom’s arms, and Lasher’s nervous tears turned into relief. Their hands went behind their back and held up by the shoulder blades. They shut their eyes as a shaky breath escaped. Trust is not a word they’re familiar to, and trust is the last thing they would go to for Venom. He didn’t get it. Why say everything negative about them to do this? Was it a test? Or just away to get close to them?

Lasher was trying to understand it all; Abigale stayed out of it. She knew this was all him, and this was his redemption time. She could never imagine her life without her family and her friend. Lasher… he only has small memories of the different hosts and lab. No memory of his family to look back at night. She never thought about it until now: She was the first and only family Lasher ever had. So, a moment like this, she stayed out of. Yes, the hug felt nice and meant for good.

Good.

That’s all Lasher ever wanted to feel—good. Not in personality, but just good. The feeling of being good and knowing that they felt good are two different ends of the scale. One side is foggy while the other side is sunny; there is no in between.

This was Venom. He was in control. Not Eddie. Eddie didn’t tell them to do this, and he wasn’t made about it. Pointing out the flaws about them wasn’t the approach that Eddie would have taken, but it worked out in the end. Pulling back, they smiled down at Lasher. The little green symbiote has bright white eyes. They almost looked like pearls in a raft. They placed a large hand over Lasher’s head and rubbed it as if they had hair. It felt right to Venom. They once saw a father do their to their son in a park. Parents do this to their young to make them feel… big? Why? Why would parents do this? Whatever the reason, Venom felt like patting their head was right.

**“We are sorry they took you from us… from me, Lasher,”** Venom’s voice was low like he was when they first met Peter. **“Did they harm you?”** It wasn’t a good place to start, but it was a start. When Lasher didn’t answer, grabbing his left arm and his eyes lingering to the floor, Venom knew. **“It is alright, Lasher,”** they said. **“They can’t hurt you.”** Their hands cuffed Lasher’s cheeks and lifted their head gingerly. They’re a kid—a child! Venom suddenly felt himself becoming overprotective for Lasher and Abigale. The first person to hurt their child they'll eat them and everyone else in the room. No one was walking away from that and expected to walk out alive. **"No one will."**  

Lasher gave a shy and gentle smile. **“Promise?”**

**“Promise.”**

 

Little did they know, Peter was watching from the floor after he cranked out the numbers and redid it to make sure he got the answer. Venom was a parent, a Dad, and he was seeing their kid for the first time, Lasher. At the bridge, they acted like a father to Peter, sitting with him until his breathing was normal again. He watched them hug, and Peter sworn that Lasher was about to cry, maybe even Venom. The space between them was long, and who knew how long Lasher has been waiting to see his father. The conversation? Peter didn’t hear a thing because he didn’t want to interrupt this beautiful moment between the two. He knows what it’s like to lose someone like that. He knows the pain better than anyone else does in the world.

His head tingled. His wrist shot up, a web clung to the table, and he was in his seat within seconds. “Nurse," he breathed under his breath. Venom and Lasher quickly disappeared under their hosts.

Eddie grasped Peter’s hand and said, just as he door opened, “I’m sorry for leaving both of you behind,” his voice changed, acting as if he finished crying. Peter’s eyes grew wide. He was buying them time.

Peter passed drama class for a reason. On the spot, Peter started to cry then flung his arms around Eddie’s neck. Abigale glanced over at the nurse and shrugged. She wasn’t going to put her headphones on for this one. The nurse nodded at her and back out of the room. Once they knew she was gone, Peter pulled back and stopped crying. “Okay, this is what I got.”

“Back up, kid,” Eddie said. “You started crying on the spot and then stopped? How can you do that?”

Peter gave a grin. “Drama class. Passed it with flying colors. Anyways,” he pulled up his notepad. "This is what I got.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember, you control what happens to Jason for the next chapter. It'll determine how the story ends.


	20. Voild Lopes and Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, Jazzy,” she said, giggling in disbelief. Her eyes soften as they linger to the little girl desperately trying to stop the blood. “What are you doing?” She asked sweetly.
> 
> “Dying,” he answered simply.
> 
> She shook her head at him as she watched the girl struggle. “No; not like this, brother. It isn’t your time.”
> 
> “We all,” he started as his mind began to wonder. “We all die some… someday.”

Lizzy woke up by lightening striking the apartment. The movie was over, and her mother was asleep in her pajamas, her coffee mug empty. There was no sun to welcome her—just dark skies. She sat up, careful not to wake her mother, and grasped the blanket on the other chair across from her. She placed it on her mother’s shoulders and patted her head gently like her mother would do to her.

 _She’s been working hard,_ Lizzy thought to herself as she turned the T.V. down and off. _Mama needs rest._

She took Mr. Turtle to her bedroom. She knows she can do something fun in her room while her mother sleeps. She could color a picture, play her dolls quietly, or talk to Mr. Flash from across the street. Mr. Flash is a lonely guy. He lost his daughter, his family, and he might need a pick-me-up. She couldn’t imagine herself without her mother. A father? Well, she doesn’t know about that. Her mother never talks about her father or where he is. Every time she ask, her mother either changes the subject or tells her ‘never ask again’. If Lizzy had an answer, she wouldn’t be asking the question. Even when she asks Eddie about her father, Eddie would talk about something else. Was her father really that bad of a person?

She shrugged it off. Even bad people can change if they try hard enough. Sure, it takes some time and a lot of work, but she believes people can change. But those thoughts weren’t going to ruin her time playing. Maybe she could draw a picture to hang on the fridge! Yeah, that's an idea! Or, maybe, she was going pretend that her dolls were on an adventure and were on the hunt for dinosaurs. She loves dinosaurs as much as she loves turtles. Turtles and live for a long time, but she didn't want to be a turtle. Her family would die off and she would be alone with her memories. She thinks it's awful to live forever. Everyone has to die sometime, but they have to live it out to tell stories. She thought about this too often, but it keeps her thinking. 

Smiling, she happily skipped down the hall. _The day may be sad, but that doesn’t me I have to be!_ She thought to herself. Besides, playing with her Barbie dolls, making a plot, and pretending that everything was alright in that world means a lot to her. Sad days only come and go. They may stay for a while, but the dark clouds eventually leave room for the sun. The warm sunlight shines down on the world with a smile because the sun is helping flowers grow and making skin feel warm like a hug. Even Earth needs a hug once in a while. Everyone needs a hug even if they don’t say it.

Lizzy carried Mr. Turtle with her to her bedroom—

The bedroom door was shut. Lizzy never shuts her bedroom door unless her mother says to. Did… did she shut it before she went to see her mother? No. No… she had the door open when she left after her shower. Then she went in for socks, didn’t grab socks, and left the room with the door open. That’s what happened; yeah, that sounds right.

She clinched her turtle in her hands, bringing it up to her chest and hugged it. Her mother always told her never do something that could hurt her, and, if something is off, tell an adult. She bit her lip. She didn’t want to wake her mother for this. This is her bedroom, and there are no monsters under her bed. Eddie and her mother already checked. Her little heart thumped nervously in her chest and it hurt her lungs as she breathed. There should be no monsters in her room. No monsters. Monsters aren’t real. No one is born a monster. They are made into a monster by the world, painting them as one.  She learned that the night when she met the Demon.

Her hand grasped the knob, turned the cold metal, and pushed it open.

Her blood froze.

Lizzy’s room was gone and it was showing a different and new room she never seen before. It was dark and she could hear thunder on the other side. White walls, a long hallway to another room with two side rooms on the right, and grey carpet. She looked down her hallway then back at the window in the center of the hall. _It was raining like it is here_ , she noted to herself. She looked ahead. She wasn’t looking for a reason to run away, no—she was looking for a reason to go in. Curiosity tickled her, and was ready for adventure. Eddie always said that it’s okay to snoop around until you get caught. Nodding her head at the argument, she went back to the kitchen, grasped the notepad on the fridge, and wrote:

            I went on an adventure. I will be back before lunch.

                        Love, Lizzy and Mr. Turtle OwO

She placed the note carefully next to the empty coffee mug and left for her room. She looked at the doorway lead to a new world and, griping Mr. Turtle by his shell, she went in the hallway.

 

There was a temperature difference between her home and this home. It was colder here unlike home, and darker—much, much, _much_ darker. She looked over her shoulder and made sure that the door kept open for a quick get-away. She continued to creep down the hallway, peering into the two rooms. One looked like an office with large bookcases, a cluttered desk by a window, and paperwork, files, and newspapers on the floor. The grey carpet was new and looked soft. The room next to it was a bedroom of some kind. The bed was made neatly and it was cleaner than the other room. There was a dresser with nothing on it like pictures or little toys. It must be a guestroom because it looks like the guestroom at her grandmother’s house. The door at the end of the hall was closed, and it must be for a reason. She turned to her left and found steps leading down. There was a wooden railing on the steps. With her right hand, she used it to lead down the steps. To her surprise, the steps didn’t creak like the apartment steps.

 _So, this must what a house feels like, huh?_ She thought to herself, admiring the soft carpet. To her left, there were pictures in color, black and white, and both. The one she really liked a bright red rose in a black and white picture in a park. In the photo, a person was riding a bike, and a couple walked side-by-side happily. She looked at the photo carefully and smile. _That’s pretty,_ she thought as her fingers traced the lower corner of the black frame.

When she was at the bottom of the steps, she was in a kitchen. There was a small square, wooden table, and it had two wooden chair to match on the left. On the table, she saw opened mail, newspapers, and this morning’s coffee mug; it was a lime green mug with a grey fuzzy cat on it. On the right, the kitchen looked like her kitchen back in her cozy home. The white cabinets were line in an ‘L’ shape and hung over a marble counter. She could see light form the window, which is over the sink. The sink had two clay plates and three glass cups. There was a frying pan with red souse burnt in the pan, and there was a large pot and a silver metal strainer; they must like spaghetti. The tile floor has small squares and looks like a checkered board. Closest to her right was a back door. Against the white wall was small, bright yellow bed for an animal. Smiling to herself, she decided that this person must live a simple life with a pet for company.

Her feet touched the cold tile floor and stood silently in the room. Her head glanced up at the white fridge. There are magnates of different places like the Montana Mountains; Rhine River; Blue Ridge Mountains, and one with a dolphin jumping out of the water. There was a yellow notepad with a grocery list written in a blue pen. Lizzy admired a photo of a one-legged car in a red sweater, which hung by the dolphin magnate.

Suddenly, a small cat rounded the corner in the kitchen. When it saw Lizzy, the small cat meowed and wobbled to her, their head rubbing at her legs. With a free hand, Lizzy patted their head, down their back, and up the tail. She smiled at the cat’s joy of seeing a new person in their home. She wasn’t going to be here long. She just going to be looking around for a moment, and, if she does caught, she would show them the door she came out. If that does happen, she’ll call her mother—

“I did all ya asked,” a shaky male voice said. She went quiet in the kitchen, frozen still. Biting her lip, she quietly crept to the wall dividing the kitchen and the living room. Bravely, she glanced over the ledge to catch a glace of the room. It was also simple like the kitchen—brown couch and an armchair, a coffee table, a T.V. on the wall, and photos on the wall. The curtains were drawn shut, closing the rain’s light. Thunder rumbled from outside, and it sounded like a growl that a monster would make. The scared man who is sitting in the chair is a police officer. She could tell by the uniform. The person who is standing in front of him was Mr. Flash, and he looks like he’s going to do something bad. She could tell because he looks determined like a villain in a movie.

Quickly, she leaned against the wall again as her mind raced over and over. She could run back to the door and tell her mother, or she could stay and see what’s going to happen. There is a wide window; no telling what would happen.

Lizzy thought it over in her head. The odds were high for the officer to get hurt and low for her unless she makes a noise. If she gets into the problem, she could either get hurt, killed, or  long enough for the officer to do something. If she showed herself, Mr. Flash might freeze, hurt her, hurt the officer and then her, still hurt the officer but not her, or do nothing. Each scene played in her head. The best scene that seemed to work out was her showing herself. If Mr. Flash took the time to talk about himself on a wipe board from across the street, then he shouldn’t harm her and/or not hurt the police officer. She’ll take her chances with it because people don’t change bad overnight. They may be bad, but some aren’t bad all the time. He was nice to her, so, he does have some good in him!

Confident, she looked at the cat and placed a finger over her lips and slid on the other side of the wall. “I don’t need a _police officer_ to be running around, knowing the truth about me, do we, Jason?” Mr. Flash asked, his eyes in a craze. She watched the police officer being forced up by wind or something—her little mind can’t explain it. It was like string pulling, um, Jason up like a puppet.

She heard rattling behind her and watched a large, long, silver knife fly from a wooden brick. The knife flew to Mr. Flash as his hand caught it easily. Her heart began to quicken.

Her mouth opened, launching off the wall, dropping Mr. Turtle on the floor, shouting, “Mr. Flash, don’t!” When she got to his side, her hand reached for his leg—

And went through the other side of his leg. She looked down in shock and tried again. Still, her hand went through the other side again. She could feel her heart in her throat. She ran through the table, her body going through easily. Her mind was too busy wrapping around this. This never happened before! No! She never could act like a… a… ghost. But she tried again.

Looking up at Jason, she tried to touch his hips and shake him, but her hands went through his body. She tried shouting, but nothing worked. He didn’t hear her. Shaking, Lizzy looked forward at Mr. Flash. His arms were fading in and out, changing into colors like green, blue, and red. She watched his arms fade in and out, moving without his limbs moving. She’s seen something like this before. She saw this when the T.V. was on during a bad rain storm or the phone didn’t function correctly. Those were glitches. He was glitching like a computer. Why?

Desperately, she tried yelling at him again. “Mr. Flash, stop!”

But no one heard her as she watched the knife fly into Jason’s chest. Horrified, she watched him fall to his side and his head hit the couch. She felt tears starting to fall and felt them stream down her cheeks. Mr. Flash… he hurt… he wanted to kill him. Quickly, she snapped her head up as she felt the shadow, gasping in fear. His eyes were dead and cold as he looked down at her. His hand came down at her, and she flinched at him—

But his hand went through her and grasped Jason by his hair. Terrified, she ran through him and found Mr. Turtle near the wall by the kitchen. Scared, she her hand went to pick up her friend—and the soft shell felt like a miracle in her fingers. She hugged her turtle tightly in her arms as she heard Mr. Flash hiss, “You are _nothing_ ,” to Jason. She watched him walk away from Jason.

Around her, she watched the fast hand on the clock slow down and it felt like a minute until the little hand _click-tack_ on.

Petrified, shed breathed, “Mr. Flash?”

Mr. Flash stopped at his name. His head turned and he felt his heart sink into his lungs. In the same room several feet away from him was Lizzy Dawn. She was starting to cry; her tears were fresh. He straighten himself as he watched her tears fall. He licked his lips nervously. There’s no way. There is no way she was here. It shouldn’t happen. No—she’s not here with him and she didn’t watch him—

“Mr. Flash? Why?” Her voice was cracking. “Why did you do that to him?” She shouted through sobs. “You—you can’t just-just hurt people!” He didn’t know why but his stomach was turning fast. He felt sick at what he did. “It’s not nice!” She sobbed as she hugged her turtle closer.

His lower lip quivered. He felt himself tearing up. “Elizabeth,” he breathe in shock. “What are you—how did you get here?” He was traveling in the void lope, so, how could she see him? He heard her crying, and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He got himself attached to her, and this _killed_ him. This wasn’t part of his plan. Her seeing this and being in the lope wasn’t part of the plan. “Elizabeth,” he took a step forward and reached out his hand.

“No!” She shouted, cowering back from him. “Stay away from me!” Her back was against the wall. “Please, stay away from me!” She was weeping hard because she felt her eyes burn and hurt. “You just tried to kill him!”

He took two steps towards her. He changed his voice to a low and kinder voice. “Elizabeth, kiddo, please—I can take you home.” He came down on one knee to show that he didn’t want to harm her. “Kiddo, please,” he could feel himself break.

“No,” she whimpered. “I’m not going with you.” Her eyes looked over at Jason. “You hurt him, Mr. Flash.”

He can feel the knife in his chest. “Lizzy—”

“I won’t—I can’t leave him here like this,” she whimpered. She swallowed hard. “I have to help him.” She looked at him and he could feel her heart break in the lope. “You did this, Mr. Flash,” she said, her voice suddenly turning dry. Her eyes were suddenly cold and sad. “You did this.”

She watched him fade away and the little hand was picking up speed again. She looked over that the clock. It felt like five minutes, but it was really thirty seconds. How could that be so? It didn’t matter now. She raced over to Jason. There was blood, a lot of blood draining down his chest and bleed through his shirt. The knife was still in his chest but it wasn’t all the way through. She placed Mr. Turtle down on the coffee table. She took a deep breath. If she gets this right, she can touch Jason now. So, she tried—

“No,” she said as her hands touched the cotton sleeve on his should. She could feel his breathing slowing down and his breath staggering. She turned him over so he was resting on his back. He has fluffy brown-black hair, dim blue eyes, and some scruff on his chin like Eddie has when he wakes up from a nap. She saw the blood on his chest again. The red spot was growing. Scared, she placed her hands over the spot, whimpering, “No, you can’t die.”

Lizzy watched his eyes roll but stop. He was hurt really bad. “Who…?” He breathed in a near whisper.

“I’m Lizzy,” she said as she felt her heartbeat in her ears. “I’m Lizzy Dawn.” She looked back at his chest. “And you’re hurt.”

Jason tried to give her a reassuring grin, but he started to feel the knife in his chest digging in. This was it for him. He knew it. He knew he wasn’t going to make it. “I’ll be,” he breathed. “Fine.” His head feel backwards and his eyes looked up at the white ceiling and someone else.

Over him, he was Luna looking down at him, smiling. “Hey, Jazzy,” she said, giggling in disbelief. Her eyes soften as they linger to the little girl desperately trying to stop the blood. “What are you doing?” She asked sweetly.

“Dying,” he answered simply.

She shook her head at him as she watched the girl struggle. “No; not like this, brother. It isn’t your time.”

“We all,” he started as his mind began to wonder. “We all die some… someday.”

“But not like this!” Luna and Lizzy said, one scared and one in disbelief. Luna rolled her eyes as she smiled, looking up. “I can’t believe you think like that! Didn’t my death teach you anything, Jazzy?”

His breath staggered and shook in his ribs. He could feel warm blood filling his lungs, burning the air and his eyes. “I—” He was interrupted by his coughing. The knife dug deeper in his skin, cutting him wide. Blood spilled all over Lizzy’s shirt and pants, but she didn’t care. Her eyes stayed on him. “I don’t think I… I can’t… hold,” his words began to slur and drag like a dead body being dragged on the floor, limped and dead.

Lizzy bit her lower lip. “I will not have this happen,” she said as she started to feel tears coming again. “This wouldn’t happen.”

Painfully, he lifted his head to look at the little girl. He could feel blood starting to drip from his lips. His throat hurts, and his eyes screamed for sleep, for a dream. That’s when his mind focused on the cute reporter from California. He was watched him on the news a couple of times, but he never listened to the report. He was too fixed on his wonderful, icy blue eyes, faded and worn. What makes it worse is that he would get lost in them occasionally. He thought that it was sick of him to like a person from the other side of America, but his heart would flutter when the local news station would show a story he did. There was something about him that Jason couldn’t shake, and he didn’t want to feel it. Seeing him at the shop, it took every inch of his sanity not to freak-out and have a conversation with him. He was to keep the statuesque as a police officer. For his eyes and his eyes only, he watched the reporter’s movement like a movie. His brain took pictures of his eyes and cocky smile when he told Ricco off. Somewhere in his mind, he saw the reporter and him at a coffee shop in New York or somewhere on a date. It was a simple one, too. No one was asking each other about a murder, robbery, or a crime—they just talked about boats, sails, and the latest cat video. It was nice to dwell in the picture, the false memory, for a moment. At least he forget about the knife digging deeper in his lungs and ribs. He shivered at the warmth.

 _This damn blood is going to be a bitch to get out of the couch,_ he jokingly thought to himself. “It’s gonna be fine,” he said to himself.

Lizzy shook her head as she shut her eyes—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \\{UwU}/  
>  (0)  
>  / \


	21. The Timetraveler's Daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was at this moment when the very thing that Debra Dawn feared, prayed not to happened, happened."

Outside of the world, far away, there was a spark, a star, that is made for each and every person on earth. Some stars are named, some are not, and some help create shapes to lead the traveler home. High above us, those stars twinkle peacefully, thoughtfully dancing in the dark and across the cosmos. Twinkling high above plants and life, they are told wishes and dreams by the blind, hopelessness, and fools. There, high above the world, a small star twinkles and swirls, grazing the rings of Saturn and tasting the Milky Way. That star belongs only to those who believe in something larger than themselves. As the star passes over, an eye watches for them as they count on every passing dream. The warmth of the star grows, and the light is harvested. The light is captured inside their minds and hearts. They can hear whispers from the dark and from the light. There’s no evil that they can’t see. Because the star’s light is within them, glowing happily. It only comes out when it’s important like saving a life or saving a timeline.

Those people are as rare as a butterfly in winter.

That’s why Elizabeth Dawn and Jesse Thompson is so important.

Lizzy is a star, a fallen star that refuses to give up shining. Jesse is a galaxy, a dying galaxy that holds life so dearly.

Her hands were covered by a halo of golden light. Stardust and glitter floated over her hands on his chest. Inside her, she felt a new power, a new light that she never felt before. The room started to shake and lights began to flicker. The world seemed to turn faster and faster, but they didn’t move an inch. Over her head, Jason swore she had a golden crown. One thing’s for sure, was a golden outline of opened wings on her back.

“Please,” Lizzy whispered to herself as she held her eyes shut. “Please, don’t die.”

Jason the carving knife pull out of him in slow motion. The blood on the knife flowed off like a river, flowing back into his chest. He could feel his skin latching together as if someone was sewing them. The knife hovered over him, still and silent. Suddenly, it flew backwards and returned to the kitchen. It halted at the knife hold, thinking of where to go, then went to the sink. He heard it landing on a plate. The room stopped spinning suddenly before returning to the time. Jason was lost for words as he looked back at the kid in front of him. She placed her lands on her lap, her eyes opening. The golden glow around faded and the wings folded back and returned in her back. The crown leaving her head.

Lizzy blinked up at him then at his chest. To her surprise, the knife was gone, but the blood stain was still there on his shirt, floor, and sofa. She bit her lips carefully. “You lost a lot of blood, mister,” she said. She her head was spinning and pounding. What happened? How did this happen? Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach. “I’m going to call mom.”

Jason looked down at himself. She’s right. Only the blood on his chest was gone. Nothing more, nothing less. He felt weak and sleepy. His mouth can taste dry iron and salt from the blood; it made him feel sick. “Liz,” he finally said as his head began to fog up. “I need you to,” his eyes were weaving in and out. “I need ya to…” His eyes began to roll back as he felt his body do limp.

His head feel on the sofa behind him. Her eyes grew in fear. “Mister?” She asked as she started to shake again. She locked eyes on his chest and saw it rise and fall. “Good, he’s alive,” she breathed to herself. She saw the radio on his shoulder. She cocked her head at it. “I could use the radio to call him in?” Lizzy was thinking aloud. “Then his friends can come to help him.” She nodded at this. “Yup, that’s it. I’ll call his friends through the radio and they can come. I can tell them about Mr. Flash.” She was centering herself again because her little mind was trying to wrap around on what happened. “Yeah, let’s do that.” She turned behind her and grasped Mr. Turtle. “Hello, Mr. Turtle,” she said lightly, hugging him in an arm. Her other hand reached for the radio—

Her fingers went through his radio and the other side of the shoulder. She froze. “No, not now,” she said as she tried again, but the same result happened. She looked hopelessly at him. She wasn’t going to leave him like this. No. She knows better than that. “I’ll go and get Mom!” She said as she hurried to the steps. “Hang in there!”

She raced up the steps and used the wall to turn. The door was opened at the end of the hall, showing her the hall. Before she reached the door, she stopped. _What if the door disappears?_ She thought to herself. _Then there is no for him to get help._

Beating herself, she turned on her heels, raced down the steps again, and went to the table. It was junk mail, but there was an address for him. She choose a hunting magazine. The cat meowed at her as she ran back upstairs back to the door. She found it opened still as she sprinted down the hall. Once she had a foot through her hall, the door behind slammed shut. Lizzy stumbled forward and fell on her hands. She felt blood on her knee as she stood again and ran to her mother. She looked down at herself and saw his blood. Her mother is going to flip out when she sees this. Before she woke her mother, she washed her hands quickly. Some of the blood came off, but not all of it. She’ll explain herself later to her mother.

Lizzy jogged to her mother. She was out of breath when she woke her mother up, breathing heavily, “Mama! Mama, wake up!” She shook her mother’s shoulder.

Startled, her mother woke up. “What is it?—” Ms. Dawn shrieked when she saw her daughter’s shirt and pants. She could smell salt and drying iron. Blood. Her daughter was covered in blood. She sat up, as her eyes grew wider in terror. “What the hell, Elizabeth!?”

 “Mama,” she breathed. “Mama, I know you’re upset—”

  “We are far from upset!” Her mother snapped. She saw the magazine in her hands. “Where did you get that?”

“Oh, good,” Lizzy said as she looked down. “Wait, does that mean that it’s gone?” She asked, leaving her mother, running to her room. Grabbing her phone, Ms. Dawn followed her daughter down the hall. Lizzy stopped in front of her room, the door was still closed.

“What’s going on, Elizabeth Ann Dawn?” Her mother snapped. “If this is a game—!”

Lizzy forced her door opened—

It was at this moment when the very thing that Debra Dawn feared, prayed not to happened, happened. There was another room, an place that she never seen before. A long, dark hallway with neat carpet. Shaking, she left her daughter to her room. Grabbing a backpack, she packed clothes for herself, her wallet, her military I.D., and her phone charger. After grapping the spare key, she left her room with the door shut. There was so many things running in her head, but she couldn’t find the words or questions to form. She always knew that her daughter was different. Lizzy took after her father that way. Time traveling and teleportation. Her father could do that with ease. He’d also was good at leaving her without a word. When Lizzy was born, she knew Lizzy was a time traveler because she has the same look in her eyes like he did; the same glimmer and color. Ms. Dawn didn’t know what she would do when her daughter would find out. She just hoped it was going to be easy, but, after seeing her in someone else’s blood, her mind changed.

When she came back, her daughter was waiting for her, but she was worried and scared. “Show me, Lizzy,” she said, still shaking.

Lizzy shifted her turtle in the same hand with the magazine. “Come on, Mom!” She grasped her mother’s hand as she ran through the door. She raced down the steps and rounded the corner. “Hurry, Mom!” Lizzy shouted behind her. “We don’t have time!”

Ms. Dawn rounded the corner in the strange home. Where were they? Some home, a home far from their cozy apartment. She hasn’t seen the inside of a house ever since she left home. The kitchen was nice. She could cook a good dinner in there—

“Mom! Stop looking at the sink!” Lizzy’s head popped around the corner. “Come on!” Her hand beckoned her to follow. Ms. Dawn rounded the corner and her hand cuffed her mouth to hide a shocked mouth. A police officer was laying on his side on the floor. The sofa behind him and the carpet under him was covered in blood. “Oh no,” Lizzy mumbled. “He moved.” She rushed over to his side, stopping suddenly. Her hand was shaking when her hand went through the other side. She looked up at her mother, worried and petrified. “Mama?” She called as her voice started to shake. “Can you call someone? We can’t do anything.”

Her mother looked at the armchair and tried to touch it. Her hand, too, went through it. She looked at her daughter and nodded. “Okay, honey. May I have the address?” Her daughter gave her the magazine as Ms. Dawn started to dial the number. “Hello? Yes. I would like to report attempted murder. Yes, that’s correct.” She was speaking calmly while her hands were shaking. “No, no—my daughter and I are alright; it’s the officer. The address?” She held it up and read it to the operator. “You want us to stay here?” Lizzy’s eyes widen. “Yes, ma’am, we will. Just come quick—there’s a lot of blood. Okay, thank you—good-bye.”

Ms. Dawn hung up as Lizzy said, “I don’t know how to come here, Mama. I don’t know how I did it.”

“I hate to tell you, but you need figure it out,” Ms. Dawn slid her phone in her p.j. pants. “Because they’re going to be here soon.” She came to her daughter’s side and got on a knee. “I want you to think of the safest thing in the world.” She was soothing and soft as she spoke. “Think of the place you want to be. Think of where you want to go right here, right now.”

Lizzy squeezed her eyes shut. The _click-clack_ from the little hand slow down like she heard when she saw Mr. Flash. She thought of Jason next to her and how he needed her help. When she opened her eyes, her hands touched the coffee table next to her, not going through. She smiled proudly up at her mother, who was still shaking. Lizzy cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong?”

Ms. Dawn couldn’t stop thinking about it. Her daughter could move through time freely like he did. She could slow time down in the void lope, she could slow time around her, she could travel freely without anyone seeing her—Lizzy was her father. But she doesn’t want to leave her mother’s side like he did. Ms. Dawn swallowed the rock in her throat. She would not allow her daughter to go through pain like she did. No, it wouldn’t happen. She will not allow her daughter to go through that.

“Nothing, darling,” Ms. Dawn forced a smile. “I just can’t believe the good Lord gave you a gift like an angel.” She smoothed her daughter’s hair. “When the police come, please don’t be frighten, okay, honey?” She heard thunder rumble outside. “Now, go get me some water for this man, okay?” Lizzy nodded at her mother and ran off to the kitchen for a dishtowel. She cracked her fingers and looked over the police officer.

She roughly hummed to herself. “No stab wound, hum—she learned how to reverse time. That’s my girl,” she knelt next to him and found his nametag. “Jason?” She asked.

She rested a hand on his shoulder. He shivered at her touch, flitching from her. “N-no,” he mumbled.

 _At least he’s still alive,_ Ms. Dawn thought in relief. She examined the area around her then Jason. “Jason, sweetie?” She tried again. “My name is Debra Dawn. My daughter was the one who found you,” his head was nodding on and off. _How much blood did he lose?_ She mover the arm on his shoulder to his forehead. “You’re burning, Jason,” she mumbled.

Lizzy hurried in with a glass of water and a wet dishtowel. “I got the towel cold,” she said as she handed the water and towel to her mother. She sat on the rug in front of Jason, frowning. “Is Mr. Jason going to be okay?”

Down the road, they heard sirens wailing. “Not on my watch,” she said confidently as her Mother Bear Mode turned on.

 

Jason’s eyes fluttered opened. His vison was blur at first, but he could see the little girl covered in his blood. His mouth was dry and his head pounded. His breathing was heavy and slow, but he could feel it speed up as his heart slowly pumped in his ears. The hole in his chest burned and felt as if his body was on fire. He also felt like he was going to throw up. He glanced up at the little girl. She was nervously clinching to her stuffed turtle in her hands. He could hear doors slamming outside of his little home. On his forehead, he felt something cold resting.

The girl’s eyes lit up and a smile formed on her face. “Mama,” she said as the door opened. “He’s waking up.” She sounded so hopeful for him, a stranger.

He tried to smile at him, but he was so tired, so weak. His eyes were rolling as they took the mother and girl away from him. At first, he thought it was Mr. Flash and he was ready to fight—no, _kill_ him if he harmed him. But he relaxed when his blurry eyes saw Donny over him. His voice was muffled in his ringing ears. If Jason wasn’t kidding himself, Donny looked so fucking scared. Who wouldn’t? He felt like he lost more blood than a girl during her shark week. His sister hated when he called it that. Shark week.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” Donny said as he saw a stretcher come in. “Where’s McScuffles’? I’ll take her home.”

 _Shit, he_ is _the Dad of the group,_ Jason jokingly thought to himself, causing him to chuckle, but the chuckled turned into a violent coughing spell. He was heaving in his chest, his lungs burning in a flame. Everything _hurts_. "It hur-hurts, Donny," he whimpered. "Everything  _hurts_." He was breathing through his teeth. 

“Take it easy there, son,” Donny said. "You're going to be just fine," he was talking quickly as the med team pulled up behind him. "Just stay alive-"

"It's him," Jason breathed. "It was him. He's-he's gonna- _fuck!_ " He could feel the team of paramedics strapped him on the stretcher. The straps were tight on his arms. "B-boss!" His hand gripped Donny's jacket. He never felt so scared in his life. It was like the time he lost his sister. "It was him. That-that traveler! Gas-gas-gas Mask," he was shivering through his teeth. "Donny, you gotta-gotta find-fi-find-"

"Jason," Donny rested Jason's hand down on his chest. He never seen him so afraid before. He's seen it once when Luna died and Jason and a knife around his throat that one night at the office. The day after, Jason swore never to drink again. “You’re going to be okay!” He called as they took Jason away on the stretcher. Donny ran his finger through his hair. This was personal now. No criminal was going to live to tell about this. Not while Donny's alive. "I promise, Jason," he breathed as they made it to the back of the truck. "I'm getting this fucker."

As Jason was being rolled out, his eyes fluttered until he saw nothing but darkness. His mind was running like a hamster on a wheel, and he was going nowhere. He wished he stayed at work and told his team. He was alone on this. Mr. Flash meant to kill him, but he was alive. That means he'll come after him again. He wasn't going to worry about that now, no. He was hopelessly praying that God would take him now. Deep down inside, he knew that wasn't going to happen. Like his sister said, it wasn't his time. There was never a time where she wasn't right. 

And she wasn't wrong this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter on the way! I hope the beginning explains why Lizzy and Jesse are so important.


	22. A Story told by a Seconded Grader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lizzy retells the story to Officer Donny.

Once Donny saw one of his teammate leave in the back of the ambulance, he felt like he needed something sweet. A quick, small milkshake at Mr. Russo’s would do right about now. He quit smoking ten years ago because his older brother died of lung cancer due to smoking. He quit drinking five years ago because a drunk driver hit his granddaughter. She alive, but she lost one of her legs and as a large scar on her back and shoulders. Donny put the driver behind bars; the inmates did the rest for him. At moments like these, either he has a pack of bubble gum on him or he’s close to Mr. Russo’s shop.

His eyes glanced back down at the large bloodstain on the sofa and carpet. “Thank God he’s not an anemia boy,” he breathed to himself. "That's going to be one hell of 'a stain to remove." He placed a thumb and a finger between his eyes. "He's most likely going to be pissed about it." He was mumbling so no one could hear his thoughts.  

His pant legs were tugged, startling the captain. When he looked down, he saw a little black girl with wide glassy eyes. She was cover in blood, his blood no doubt. In her arms, the child held a turtle. _Must’ve slipped while Ricco started questioning her mother,_ he thought as he knelt down to her height and tried to smile at her as he said, “Hello, little one.”

“Hello,” she said shyly. She looks like she might cry, again. “I’m Elizabeth, Elizabeth Dawn,” shifting her turtle, she stuck out a hand. “But you can call me Lizzy.” He took it and shook it, both nodding seriously. She stepped back and showed her colorful turtle to him. “This is Mr. Turtle. He’s a good turtle.” She pulled the turtle down and asked, “What’s yours?”

 _She’s trying to build a trust,_ he thought to himself. “Donald Ranking, but you can call me Donny,” he answered. From the kitchen, McScuffles can waddling in, weaving between cops and photographers. Donny stood up and did a short wave at Mary in the kitchen. She stepped aside to see the shaken mother talking to Ricco, but she stopped when she felt his eyes on her. She looked at her daughter and him. “Ms. Dawn? May I take your daughter outside on the porch for some air?” He glanced down at her as her eyes stared at the drying blood. “She shouldn’t be in here.”

She swallowed and said, “Go ahead, officer. Oh, and Lizzy?” Lizzy snapped her head at mention of her name. “If he asks you questions—” _Great, she’s going to say wait till she’s out there!_ “—tell him everything he needs to know. The faster you tell, the faster they get the bad guy, okay? Do _not_ lie to him.” She straighten up and said. "If you are on your best behavior, then we'll go for an ice cream after I find you a change of clothes, deal?"

"With sprinkles?" Lizzy questioned.

"All the sprinkles," Ms. Dawn answered, crossing her arms around her chest. "But, talk with him first."

“Yes, Mama,” Lizzy answered politely and sweetly.

Donny led Lizzy outside, him going first and her falling. It was misty outside after the storm. The weatherman says it should be a beautiful sunset tonight on the river. He might watch it with his wife after this. He sat on the swing on the right, and helped her up to sit on the left. He started to rock the swing gently for her, calming her down. Whatever happened, it left her covered in blood and gripping her turtle. They sat in silence for a moment to listen to the raindrops falling from the gutter and trees.

“I heard the Demon has been giving you trouble,” she said suddenly. Her voice was soft and it startled him when she spoke. “They’re really not bad, mister—they aren’t.”

Donny pulled his left leg up over his right knee. “Is that so? How do you know?”

She sat up. “Well,” she huffed, thinking. “They saved my mother and I from a robber at a drug store. Actually, they save a lot of good people. They eat bad ones.” She petted her turtle.

“What do you mean by that?” It’s not the questions and topic he was thinking he would to talk about, but here they were.

“Where I live, they do that,” she said, looking up at him. “I knew they ate a bad man who sold drugs and girls my age. It was all over the news.”

 _That never happened here,_ he thought to himself. _It happened in Caliey, but not here._ “Okay,” he said. If she’s going to be talking to him, he might as well get to know her a bit. “So, Lizzy? What grade are you in?”

“I’m in the seconded grade,” she said as she kicked her legs. “My teacher gives us spelling words this week, again. I really do not like spelling words, but my friend, Eddie, helps me with them.” She then looked at her shirt and grew pale. “Uh-oh,” she said.

“What?” He asked.

“This is my favorite shirt, oh,” she leaned back. “Mama’s not going to like washing this.” He noted that she said ‘washing’ with an ‘r’. She must have folks in the Midwest. “I’m mostly grounded.” Her curios eyes lingered up at him. “What type of cop are you?”

“I’m a captain, a leader,” Donny said. “You could say that I am the parent of the group.”

She blinked at him and said, “It’s not important to you but you look like a cowboy.” Then she brighten a big smile. “I like that.”

“I like that, too,” he rolled his shoulders. “Why don’t we talk about what happened today with Officer Jason?—”

“Is he going to be okay? No one told me if he was going to be okay,” she said, as her eyes grew worried. “He has to because he has a kitten. The cat needs him.”

Donny nodded at her, saying “He’s going to be alright, kiddo.” He could smell the blood drying on her shirt. He started taking off his jacket when he asked, “Can you tell me what happened?” He placed the jacket over her shoulders then pulled out his notebook.

She placed her turtle in her lap as she hugged the jacket around her. “I woke up from a nap on the couch at my home. I went to my room to play while Mama slept. She works a lot. When I got to my room, the craziest thing happened,” she looked up at him, looked around, and then back at him. “My door was shut.”

“Okay? Where is this going, Lizzy?”

“I’m getting there, Mr. Donny,” she said, turning her body and sitting her leg on the wood, Mr. Turtle perched on the knee like he was king. “My door is never shut, you know? So, I opened the door to my room, but my room was gone.” Donny didn’t mean to roll his eyes and laugh. “I’m not lying, mister! It was gone! I saw Officer Jason’s upstairs. He has a neat guestroom and a messy office. You can go check. The doors are opened.” He returned himself when he saw her eyes grow serious. She wasn’t joking. This happened. It makes since because he never saw her or her mother before, but he couldn't help but wonder...

“What happened next?” He asked.

“I went down stairs and saw him and Mr. Flash,” she said.

“Mr. Flash?” He asked. “Who’s that?”

She hugged the jacket around her shoulders. She didn’t want to relive the knife cutting into Jason’s chest again. “He’s the one who tried to kill Jason, and he’s the man from across the street,” she whimpered, tears started to fall. “I-I tried to-to get his attent-attention, but they couldn’t see me! I was like a ghost! My hands went thought their legs when I tried!” Then she started to shake like a leaf. “I was-I was- I was so scared, Donny—I was so scared!” Everything hit her like a freight train as she started to sob. Quickly, Donny scoped her and Mr. Turtle up, placed her in his lap, and held her in his arms, hushing her like he did to his daughters and his grandchildren when they had a nightmare. “They couldn’t see me,” she said through tears. “I tried-tried to stop it, but-but he didn’t see me.”

He nodded. “It’s okay, Lizzy. It’s not your fault, okay? You got him to see you, so, your mother saved him, right?”

She leaned back and leaned her head on his right shoulder. There was no chance that she was leaving him at the moment. “No, I did. I was able to get him to see me after Mr. Flash made a big knife go in his chest. It’s rude trying to kill someone.” She said as she wiped her eyes.

“That’s right, it’s rude to do that,” he said. The mist was settling down. “There was a knife? Where’s the knife? And ‘made’ the knife?”

She nodded as she sniffled her nose. “Yeah. Mr. Flash didn’t use his hands. The knife floated form the wooden block and he pointed the knife at him. It was scary.”

“I bet it was,” Donny replied softly. “So, how did you make him see you? And your mother? Where was she?”

“I thought of where I needed to be at the moment, so, I was here with Jason after Mr. Flash tried to… I think he was going to kidnap me. I didn’t feel safe and I didn’t want to be near him,” she said as her breathing returned. “When we saw each other, the little hand slowed down for about three or five minutes. When I got away from him, only thirty seconds passed—weird, huh?”

 _That’s our man—Gas Mask. He was here with Jason. He was right,_ the cop thought to himself. “So, you got your mother and she got the knife out?”

“No, you didn’t listen,” she sat up in his lap. “I did it all my own. I don’t know what happened. One moment I have my hands over the blood, I shut my eyes, and, when I opened, the knife was gone and he wasn’t bleeding anymore, but he lost so much blood.”

Wait. What?

_What?_

“What? Wait, hold on.” He lifted her up and sat back on the swing. “Hold on, sister. You’re telling me that you healed Jason and made the knife go away?”

She cocked her head. “Are you calling me a lair?”

“No, I’m just—”

“Because I’m telling you what happened,” she said, offended. “I’m telling you what happened, Mr. Donny. He was healed. I have no clue what happened or how it happened. I had my eyes shut the whole time. Also, why would I lie when ice cream is on the line with sprinkles?” She hugged his jacket. It smells like leather and shaving cream. Oddly, it felt like a warm hug. “I somehow went back home to get my mother. I knew I had to get her, Mr. Donny. So, I was home and she was still sleeping in the same spot. It's like time didn't even move! It's almost like it stopped! She came with here with me after I showed her the door, and the rest you already know. Honest!”

Donny was wrapping his head around it. “I’m going to retell it out loud so I know that I'm not going crazy."

"Go ahead, mister," she said respectfully. You never find kids like her these days.

"You wake up from a nap and go to your room to play, but the bedroom door was shut. When you opened it, it led to here. You watched Jason being stabbed while you tried to stop Mr. Flash, who was controlling the knife. So, once the knife was in his chest, he can see you and time slows down?”

“So far so good,” she said, nodding. “Oh! Mr. Flash’s arms were turning into weird colors, too. They were fading in and out as if they were glitching. I saw it once on Mama’s computer.”

“Alright. Making sure.” He leans against the wood. _That’s our guy. He was here._ “You’re thinking he’s trying to kidnap you, so you run away from him to get to Jason. You try to stop the bleeding, shut your eyes, and the blood’s stopped and the knife’s gone.”

She stretched her arms wide. “Vanish like the tax payers money.”

He likes the way she thought about it. “Yeah, like that. When you knew it’s safe, you went to get your mother. She comes, calls us, tries to treat what looks like a fever, and here we are.” This whole story hurts his mind, but this a world where anything can happen. “Did I miss anything?”

She shook her head. “No, you got it,” she said.

“Where do you live, Lizzy? So I have an idea how far you traveled to save him.” He wasn’t expecting her answer.

“I live in apartment 7D in Harrison Apartments, 1009, on West Harrison Street, San Francisco, California, 94105.” She said with a smile. “It’s on the third floor on the left, coming down, and on the right, coming up, mister.”

His mouth hung open.

“If you keep your mouth open too long, Mr. Donny, you could catch flies,” she said as she ran her fingers over the turtle’s shield. “Can I see my Mama now?” Right on cue, her mother walked out of the house. Lizzy looked over at her mother and waved, “Hi, Mama! This is Officer Donny.”

He quickly shut his mouth and stood up from the swing. Surely she was joking about where she lives. This has to be a joke! Maybe they just moved in and Lizzy still remembers her old home. When children are expose to trauma, they find their imagination to find a comfort of understanding an experience. This must be her way of getting over it. There are different ways of doing it; therefore, this must be hers. However, he has to hand it to her. She did see the Gas Mask man, and she knows who he is. If he could get her mother to let him take her down to the station later today—

“Ma’am,” he said as he reached out a hand. “Captain Donny Ranking.”

She took his hand and shook it firmly. “Captain Debra Dawn,” she said, matching his tone. “Leader of Mission Atlanta and head of command.” The both sat down on the swing after she picked up her daughter and placed her in the middle. “I hope my daughter told you everything.”

He nodded in agreement. “Yes, ma’am, but, I have to ask,” he folding his hands. “Are you _really_ from California?”

“Yes, we live in apartment 7D in Harrison Apartments, 1009, West Harrison Street, San Francisco, California, 94105. That’s our home,” she folded her arms over her chest and eyed down her daughter. “Didn’t she tell you that?”

“Er, yes, I was making sure that—”

“She was telling the truth? Hum, I see—not use at seeing a time traveler’s daughter, huh? There's ice cream on the line, Mr. Donny. If there's on thing I know about children, they'll do anything to get ice cream.” she said. “But, if it makes a difference about her being a time traveler's daughter, I didn’t know until today.”

Lizzy’s head perked up. Time traveler’s daughter? Like, her mother—no, her mother didn’t look like a time traveler. It has to be her father. That’s why he’s gone. That must be the reason why no one talked about him. He traveled through time and he met her mother. “That’s kind of cool, actually,” Lizzy found herself saying. “I didn’t know that.” The mist left the area. She could see the fresh wet roads and the skyline. There were tall buildings in the background and she could hear traffic and horns. _This is a big city,_ she noted. She finally got a good look at a cop car on the carve and she near screamed in delight. “Mama! Mama, look!” She tugged her mother’s arm and pointed at the car. “Mama, look at the car! It says ‘NYPD’,” Lizzy was dancing in her seat. “Do you know what that means?”

“What, Lizzy?” she asked.

“That stands for ‘New York Police Department’,” her eyes shined up, beaming a smile at both adults. “We’re in New York!”

Donny said, “Yes, you are. New York City, actually—”

“I gotta call Eddie!” she hopped off the seat and looked at her mother. “May I call Eddie? I wouldn’t bother you two while you talk Adults. Promise.”

Ms. Dawn found this as a blessing. She didn’t want to talk about her father in front of Lizzy. She wasn’t ready for the chaos he brought on her and in California. There’s a lot of things she never told her daughter about herself and her father. She dug into her pocket and shoed her the phone. “Do _not_ wonder off.” She said as she handed her the phone. “Got it?”

“Okay, Mama,” she said. Lizzy too the phone and skipped happily off the porch. She was at the gate when she stop to call. She was so excited to tell Eddie that she was here. If he wasn’t busy, maybe they could go to Purr-fections together and find her kitten. All that she knows is that she is in New York. Also, she could tell about Mr. Flash being the bad guy. Eddie could write about that in his story. She smiled as she watched a butterfly float over the road gracefully.

There was a feeling in the air around her. She felt as if she was an important piece to a puzzle in the city. She didn’t know why, but she felt important, special, even.

She held up the phone to dial him, but stopped. She felt eyes—dark eyes watching her. Lizzy looked around. Her mother and Donny were talking about something like “military” and “experiment gone wrong”. Other polices were either working inside the house or talking amongst themselves about lighting a lake. No one was looking at her. She hugged Donny’s jacket and Mr. Turtle. It didn’t feel right. None of this felt right. Lizzy She stepped backwards nervously. On the third step, she turned around to go to her mother—

Mr. Flash was looking down at her, his eyes blank and cold. She fell backwards and scooted away from him. “No!” She squeaked. She looked over at her mother, who’s head perked and glanced over. She stood up and hurried off with Donny pulling out his gun. “Mama!” She shouted. Her back hit the picket fence. Her heart was racing and her blood was pumping faster than mind.

He cocked his head at him, biting his lip. “I didn’t want this to happen, not like this,” his arms and hands started to change colors again. “But, I have to.”

She let out a pitched scream as she the disappeared in the front yard, leaving behind her mother's phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Place your beats on what's going to happen next ;3


	23. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What are the odds of gods to put us all in one spot?"  
> ~"My Shot", Hamilton

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been forever. SO MUCH has happened in the pass the week. It was a train ride that I never wanted to go on. Anyways, hope y'all enjoy! Sorry that it's a short one, the next one, though, should make up for it.

“That’s the plan?” Eddie asked dumfounded. “You want to steal a tank—no, no, no—a _train engine_ to reverse his powers?” He shut to door behind him as they walked back to the waiting room. “That’s a dumbass plan, Peter.”

Peter looked over at him and shrugged. “I don’t see you thinking of anything. A train engine is powered by coal, but if we go after the subway bullet train, then we have a fighting chance.” They rounded the corner, passing a griever’s wife and kids. “If the train can power carts, then all we have to do is put him in a cart, run the engine, and swing him around.”

The plan was… well, it has bad idea written all over it. This is what Eddie got from Peter’s big words and math. Go to a subway train storage, or a garage, find a battery and “barrow” it (of course, Venom would be the muscle in the group), hook it up at a stereo on top of the bridge, and made it sound when Gas Mask comes. Once it sounded, they can fight him and easily take the man down. That’s was his plan, and it needed to be down within the next twenty-four hours. They do not want Gas Mask to harm anyone at the Lighting, so, track him down. How Peter was going to do that? No clue, but Eddie was trusting him. How was Abigale taking this? She thought it was insane and she wanted no part of it, but Lasher talked her in, promising to climb up Trump Tower to egg it.

She was on board right away with that offer.

Even though there it’s a great plan, there were holes and gaps. How in the world will they steal a subway engine? Let alone try and sneak in without being caught? And, if it would work, then how would they find Gas Mask if they can’t see him? In Peter’s words, “It’ll buff. Don’t worry.” Eddie hopes so. It’s bad enough that the Avengers are after them. One wrong move, they could end up in jail, or a lab, or separated, or… or dead!—

 ** _Hey, Earth to dumbass,_** Venom said. Eddie could hear him snapping. **_Keep your head straighter than us._**

Hearing Venom, to Peter was an awesome thing, but he wish he didn’t have to hear that. “So, we going to tell Jesse and Flash?”

Eddie shrugged. “We don’t know yet. Abigale? You going to tell?”

Her hands moved: Jesse is my best friend. We want to show her.

“I wouldn’t tell, not a chance,” Peter said.

When they got to the waiting room, Eddie froze. Jesse was there. She looked better and a bit healthier. With more therapy would help over the years then she would be better. But, he didn’t stop because of her. Sitting next to her was Donny and—

“Ms. Dawn?” He lived his steps. She was here. In New York City. “Ms. Dawn!” Boy, was he glad to see her. Dawn stood up, took two steps, opened her arms, and both hugged. “Ms. Dawn?” Eddie pulled away as Venom was screaming in his head about it, looking around for Little Lizzy and her turtle. “How did you get here?” Eddie asked. “Not that I didn’t want to see you,” she gave her a warm smile, but she looked tired and worn. Eddie looked around her, scanning the waiting room for Lizzy. “Where’s Lizzy at?” He finally saw her for the first time. Ms. Dawn’s eyes were red and puffy, fresh tears still running down her face. His smile fell. He felt Venom boil under their skin.

She didn’t have to say anything because Eddie felt it in his gut. It felt like he was shot in the chest by a gun. He felt like he was looking at a broken mirror and he could hear it shatter at his feet. This. All of this, somehow, felt like it was his fault. First, Mr. Flash wants Venom, and he was willing to drown Peter to prove his point. Then this?

Eddie grabbed her hands and squeezed them. He felt Venom swirling in his eyes, almost blinding them. “Who has her?” He asked. They were feeling her pulse in from her wrist, and it was racing. “Ms. Dawn?” Venom was taking over, and Eddie wasn’t stopping him.

Donny got between Eddie and placed a hand on his shoulder. Before he spoke, Ms. Dawn said, her voice shaking and afraid, “He took my baby, Eddie. That _bastard_ took my little girl.” She let out a shaky breath as she leaned her head in her chest. “He took her, Eddie.”

Eddie wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. He looked over at Donny, looking for answers. Donny bit the inside of his cheek. “Small world, huh?” He asked. He step aside to show chairs. “Have a seat, Eddie. I’ll fill you in.” Eddie guided Ms. Dawn to a seat, glancing over his shoulders at Peter to get her a drink. “I’m not going to sweet talk myself around it, Eddie, but the person who took Lizzy is the man behind the threats. What you and Peter told us about,” Peter came and gave her a bottle of water and a tissue box. “You two are right. He controls time and moves in it. He came out of nowhere when he took her. I wish that I shot fast enough—”

 ** _But you didn’t,_** Venom rumbled darkly, but Eddie said nothing.

“Look, no one saw him coming,” Donny said.

“But, now, you can’t find her,” Eddie snapped. He was keeping himself contained, and keeping Venom under their skin. They were clawing at his sink to come out, rage boiling their blood. “Do you know how hard it is to track a person whose not even there?”

“Eddie, this day’s hard enough—”

Eddie shot up, Venom quickly wrapping around Eddie’s hands, claws flashing then leaving. “A kid is missing, Donny!” He shouted, his last brain cell snapping. His voice was deep and heavy, but it wasn’t Venom’s. “She is out there with some _psychopath_!—”

“Edward Charles Allen Brock,” Ms. Dawn snap. “Sit. Your ass down. Now.” Eddie sat down, crossing his arms, huffing out air. For sure, Eddie was going to kill him. In fact, he didn’t need Venom to do it. Venom knows Eddie well enough to determine how Eddie’s going to rid him. At first, this whole thing was about Mr. Flash wanting Venom, and Eddie was dumb enough to call their bluff on Mr. Flash’s threat about Lizzy. The only reason why Eddie isn’t out their looking for him is he doesn’t even know where to start. This whole ride—this whole _story_ is a mess. He wish he didn’t take the job to do it. Ms. Dawn leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes. She was about to cry again. “My baby is out there with him, yes, I know—but that doesn’t mean you have to go missing, too.” She turned her head and looked outside. “She loves you, Eddie. If we find her before you do, she’ll be worried to death about you. We wouldn’t know where you are or if you’re even alive.”

Eddie’s eyes lingered to the floor. She was in sweatpants and had on a grey hoodie. Across her chest, bold white words read “San Francisco”. She had that sweatshirt longer than she had Lizzy. Her shoes were barrowed, her hair messy, and she wasn’t wearing make-up. Venom could smell a faint hint of blood. It wasn’t her blood, and it wasn’t Lizzy’s. It belong to someone else. “How?” He asked. “How in the world did you get here, Ms. Dawn?” He looked up at the mother. She was still looking out the window. “How?”

She gave out a tired sigh, stressed but mostly tired. “When I was still big and active in the military, before Lizzy,” her voice was dry, her mind looking back. “My team was working on a project, a very high-top-secret project that I shouldn’t even tell you about, but it followed me home. We were with a time traveler, really, a simple one with a suit that could shape and form into whatever he wanted. The projected was named Red Lash, and the project was a person, a man named Ranger Martin. He was fast, moving in and through time without being seen or getting caught.” She looked down at her left hand, and a plan silver ring shined in the light. “Over the first two years, he was trying to catch me, ya know? Be my other. I told him that I didn’t want any of that, but he kept trying.” The other hand slid the ring off. Her fingers played with it for a while. “He gave me this. We weren’t married, but it surely felt like it.”

Eddie saw her eyes reflect on a memory. The glimmer in her eyes was on fire. “Then something happened because, ten years again, I was pregnant with Lizzy. At first, he didn’t know what to do because he wasn’t from here, this ‘timeline’—as you call it—and was worried that there was going to be a void or something. I told him not to worry about it and think about a better home to live instead of his apartment. I wanted to bring them up right in a nice home like I did.” Ms. Dawn started to laugh lightly to herself. “I remember one night, he was building her crib. It took him the whole night because he threw out the instruction manual. Oh, he was so mad when he finished at daylight.” Her smile faded. She bit her lip as she looked at the ring again. “Everything was perfect. He was going to stay, to take care of us… then _he_ came.”

Sliding the ring back on, she sat up in her chair and hugged her arms. “During the project, he was in the middle of jumping when another traveler came. He was wearing a gas mask from World War 2. The thing is, Eddie, when I told you _and_ myself that he left me, but,” she locked eyes with him and said, “He didn’t really leave me. He wanted to stay with Lizzy and me. Forever. He was willing to give up jumping and time traveling to stay with us… but _he_ came. There was a fire in the control center, and Ranger was there. He was fighting the other jumper and they both teleported together.” She shoulders raised and fell. “I ain’t seen Ranger since. I kept my last name and told myself never to tell Lizzy about her father until she was ready. Now,” she rubbed her shoulders. “He as her. I don’t know why, though.”

Eddie felt… better. He understood her better, now. She lost her husband, her boyfriend to Mr. Flash, and she was left with Lizzy. It made since why Lizzy has a small family.

“When Lizzy was born, I knew that she was like her father—I knew she has powers like him to travel through time and reverse without moving the atmosphere. Ranger showed me it once on a date.” She leaned back in her seat, her eyes still on the window. “When the pther took him away, I was left alone to raise her. She came up nice, but, I fear, as the days press on, she’ll figure out who her father is.” Ms. Dawn rubbed her arms. She wasn’t cold, no; she just missed her daughter. “Please, someone— _anyone_ ,” her voice cracked. “Just find my daughter.”

Peter was standing by Eddie the whole time as he listened to her story, taking notes. “So, why did you come here?” Peter asked respectfully.

Ms. Dawn didn’t look at him when he said, “Because I know that my daughter would want me to wait for Jason.” She smiled to herself, shutting her eyes. “You would’ve been so proud of her, Eddie. She healed him all by herself.”

Eddie couldn’t help but smile. “She is a smart kid,” he shook his head in disbelief. “She knows what she wants to do with herself. Damn, Ms. Dawn, she a good kid.”

Donny shifted in his seat before he stood up, saying, “I’ll have to do some paper work. I still have to call my friends.” He looked down at Ms. Dawn. Sticking out his hand, he said, “I will find her and bring her back here, Ms. Dawn. Thank you for your corporation with us.”

She nodded as she shook his hand. “Please, Donny, bring her home.” He took his leave from the group, leaving an officer behind for her and Jason.  

“She helped Jason?” Eddie asked. “So, what room do you think he might be in?”

Ms. Dawn cocked a brow. “Third floor. ICU—room 1133. I don’t care what you do, Eddie. I need to think for a bit.” She curled into the seat and hugged her knees.

Eddie bit the corner of his lips. That’s how Jason knew about the other Flash. He came to Jason today or last night. Eddie’s betting it was this morning before they came to work. He didn’t say anything when they stood, pulling Peter a side. He did stop to look at Ms. Dawn again. She looked up at him and waved her hand for him to leave.

Not far in the waiting room, Jesse was next to Abigale. They were talking about something, and it made Jesse laugh, leaving her smiling. Eddie walked up to Jesse and said, “Wait for your brother with Ms. Dawn, okay? I’ll be back down soon.” Then he nodded his head at Peter to follow him. They didn’t go far; just far enough to talk to him alone. “Try to get that subway engine. Take Abby with you—Lasher’s strong.” There was a knot in Eddie’s stomach. He knew what was going to happen next. “If the Avengers stop you two, please—join them.”

Peter’s eyes grew wide. “What—no, no. There has to be a better way!”

They placed a hand on his shoulder. “Peter, please, this is hard enough. If you join them, you can try to talk to them. If they don’t listen, well, I guess we’ll see each other on the battle field.” They slip their hand off his shoulder, holding a glimmer in his eyes. “You’re a good kid, that’s why you shouldn’t be around us.” He turned and started down the hall towards the elevators.

“What about you?” Pater asked at the end of the hall. “Where are you going?”

Eddie continued to walk as he glanced over his shoulder. “Ask questions.”


	24. I Think I Kinda Love Ya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, time for a train ride.

When Eddie stepped out of the elevator, they felt tired, hungry, and empty. This whole week was almost a joke. He was stocked by Mr. Flash for months or weeks! How much does he know about him? First, threating New York if he doesn’t get Venom by Tuesday. Then Flash and Jesse’s parents last night. Now Lizzy’s gone. Kidnaped. He keeps think that if he didn’t leave his home—

 ** _Then who was going to save Jesse and Flash?_** Venom poked softly. **_Who was going to save them?_**

Eddie shrugged as he passed rooms, reading signs and room numbers. “I don’t know,” Eddie mumbled. But he did know that he needed sleep, and he needed answers on what happened to Jason and what Lizzy did to make her a target. There has to be a connection, a reason for him to take her and who was next. “We’re close,” he said as he continued to walk.

He passed a nursing station. A redhead man looked at him but did nothing. They must not care who comes up and walks around. Back at home, there has to be paper work and I.D. badges to walk around the place. If he shows up, he normal goes for check-ups with Dan to make sure everything in his body is still working. Venom has stopped eating his inter organs, but who’s to say he won’t do it again?

As he passed 1130, he started to feel uncomfortable. Venom curled around his arms under his sweatshirt. **_I am here. I will be right here,_** his voice rumbled softy in his ear.

Eddie looked at the room across 1132 and a teenager sat in her bed. He was reading a chapter book of some kind. _Gotta plan,_ Eddie said quickly. He crossed the hall and knocked on his door. The boy glanced from his book at Eddie. His dark brown eyes blind in with his skin. Eddie leaned against the doorway and asked, “Hi, um, may I barrow some of your flowers?”

The teenager looked at the vase then back at Eddie. He marked the page with his thumb and shrugged, “You can take those purple daisies, mister.” Then he opened his book again. “Just not the green ones.” Eddie was out within seconds after he thanked the teen.

Jason’s door was shut and the blinds drawn. In politeness, Eddie knocked before he entered his room.

The room was dark around the halo of dim light from a bedside lamp on a desk. The room was roughly the size of a of Eddie’s living room. It was a nice size for one person and, maybe, five people. The walls were painted a dark blue, and the floor was fake wood, but it still looked nice. The bathroom was on the left in the back corner. On the right was Jason, resting. There was a blood bag hinging on the right and an IV and a heart monitor on the left. He had some gas mask over his mouth, and his breathing looked rough and staggered. His arms, Eddie noted, weren’t clean and fresh. His right under arms is covered in straight, curved scars. The farther his eyes lingered up Jason’s arm, the larger, deeper, and fresher the scars grew. The soft baby blue blanket over his legs matched with his honey toned skin, scruffy chin, and his fluffy hair. Eddie figured he must be at least his age or a year younger, and Jason is fit and ready for action.

Why couldn’t he taken Mr. Flash down?

There was a drinking cup by the sink next to Eddie. He took the liberty to make fix the flowers for Jason. To Eddie, flowers would brighten up the room. To Venom, the flowers would brighten up Jason’s life. They could never understand why someone would cut their skin or try to take their own life. Venom didn’t understand how far down a human can go. Eddie had a hard time trying to explain it to him every time the word “suicide” came up on the news or in his report.

As soon as Eddie turned on the water, Jason’s eyes fluttered up. His head was spinning around the world in ninety seconds. He felt like he was going to throw up, but he couldn’t find the energy. His body ached, but his chest was burning. In Jason’s mind, his memory was reliving Mr. Flash sticking a knife—no, the knife flew into his chest. Mr. Flash has powers. Then this little girl came from… wherever. Then she was glowing in a golden light with wing outlining and the room started spinning and there was no knife in his chest and blood floated and his skin healed and—and—and—

Jason wanted to scream, and he did, making Eddie jumped, saying sharply, “Jesus!” He dropped the cup in the sink, but his hands scrambled to catch it. Eddie glanced worried over his shoulder at Jason, and, from the look of things, he was awake and having a panic attack. “Aw, hit,” he mumbled to himself. Eddie turned off the sink, rolling up his sleeves, and was at Jason’s side. “Hey, hey,” Eddie cooed like his grandmother did when he had a nightmare once. “It’s okay, Jason, you’re alright.” He pulled out the chair next to the bed.

Eddie glanced over his shoulder when he heard the door open. The male nurse was in the doorway with another male nurse. Eddie shook his head and waved his hand at them, reassuring he could handle this. The Front Desk Male stepped back and shut the door, leaving them in the rom. Eddie knew what he was doing; he did this once for his sister.

He hasn’t seen her in years. The last time they saw each other was when she was in the hospital after a horrible car crash. While her husband was coming back from a flight, Eddie stayed with her. She was hurting, and Eddie could do nothing. Sometimes, she would wake up screaming from the pain in the middle of the night. Then she stopped eating because it hurt to swallow anything. After her husband came, Eddie left for a day to rest. When he came back… sometimes memories are best unspoken.

Eddie grasped Jason’s hand, cuffing them with both hands. Jason squeezed Eddie’s hand hard as his breath staggered for a minute or two. “Easy,” Eddie hushed. “It’s okay, Jason. Just breath in and out. You’re safe. You’re going to be alright.”

Jason’s breathing slowed down and calmed when he heard Eddie’s voice near. His eyes were circling again if he slept again around the room. He was tired, but he was awake. He needed to be awake because he saw the knife. His right hand touched the mask over him just to trace his fingers over it. Jason’s shoulder’s relaxes again. He saw the blood bag on his right and the tube connecting to his wrist. Somehow, the doctors were able to place the needle under his scars on his wrist.

“I hate short sleeved shirts,” he mumbled to himself as he continued to look at his under arm. He turned his head to look at Eddie, who was still holding his hand. “You look like shit.”

Eddie blinked. “What?”

“You look like shit, Eddie,” Jason muttered.

Eddie shrugged. “And you look as… good as ever, too.”

They both ended laughing, but Jason had to stop. His chest and ribs started to burn his lungs. Eddie placed his hand down on his chest and left. He came back with a cup of water and the drinking cup filled with flowers. Purple flowers. There were only thirteen flowers in the cup. Jason smiled at the flowers. He loves flowers as much as he loves animals.

Eddie pulled down his mask and said, “Small sips, Jason.”

And he did.

The water felt like a blessing from heaven, cold and blissful. “Thank you,” he mumbled. He was in a fog, traveling down deep. He felt heavy; it was hard to keep his eyes open. Eddie sat back down in his chair after he placed the mask over Jason’s mouth. “I know that,” he swallow as his mind formed sentences. “I know you’re looking at my arm.”

 _Whoa, he does speak good English,_ Eddie thought. “I’m sorry—”

“Nah, no,” Jason said. He felt drunk again, sleepy and heavier. “It’s alright. I don’t mind, Eddie.” Jason looked at the flowers. Eddie could see the purple floor reflect in his eyes. “Thank you for the flowers.”

“You’re welcome,” Eddie responded. “I thought they’d brighten up the room a bit.”

Jason gave him a soft, happy smile. Eddie just being there made the room brighter. Jason wishes he has the balls to say it, but there is a time and place to flirt, and that’s not on a death bed. “What brings you up? Not that I don’t wanna see you and not like the flowers.”

“I heard what happened to you,” Eddie said. “I wanted to check in and see you.” He gave him a grin. “Can you tell me what happened on your end? I don’t want to pressure—”

“No, no… I can,” Jason heavily sighed through his nose. He felt tired. Too tired. He felt like he could sleep for weeks and still be tired. “I can tell ya. Beside’, you might… might believe me.”

 ** _He might not be long,_** Eddie heard Venom.

 _Just… just kept quiet for a while, V,_ Eddie thought. “Go ahead,” Eddie said politely. “You can stop whenever if you feel too much, okay?”

Jason nodded as he started his story. “Before I came to work this mornin’, this… _guy_ shows up in my livin’ roo’, and he was holding my cat wrong.” Jason licked his lips. “This may sound pathetic, but he threatened to kill my cat. I love my cat more than anything, Eddie.” His eyes turned dark. “He was wearin’ a _fucking_ smile when he said he’ll slid her throat. So, he tol’ me to tell you about him. Why? I didn’t ask. I just wanted my cat to be safe. I did my end, but he threw a knife at me. It’s weird, ya know? It’s like he told the knife to do it.” Jason sat in silence for a moment, holding himself steady again. “He was gone when a little girl appeared. She just—just _came—_ ”

He started breathing through his teeth and his side caved under him. The pain came sudden. Eddie grasped Jason’s hand, and Jason squeezed. Jason shut his eyes and tried to focus again, but it is hard to focus when your heart is ringing in your ear.

Eddie hated this. All of this. Mr. Flash was supposed to be between them and Spider-Man, but it’s becoming more and more personal. He planned this. All of this, and Eddie hated it. “It’s alright, Jason,” he whispered softly. “If you need to stop—”

“N-no, this girl,” Jason breathed through his teeth. “She has powers like him.” The pain shot through his spine and down his hips. He felt like he was being stabbed by pins and needles. “She had w-wings. Wing outlines in a gold light. The room was-it was spinning,” Eddie watched his heart monitor speed up. “Then the knife left, Eddie. I-I watched the blood on the knife return and felt the skin heal. She was doing this all by herself—” He was cut up by coughing.

Jumping, Eddie placed his other hand on his shoulder to hold him down to prevent Jason hurting himself even more. Jason was sweating bullets. He looked like he was running a fever. Maybe Eddie could go run and get the male nurse? Yeah, that’s sounds good. Jason could get help and more medication to ease the pain. Eddie turned his body and lifted his hand off his shoulder—

“No, w-wait!” Jason grappled at Eddie’s hand, stopping him from moving. “Wait, pl-please,” he breathed through his teeth. “I’m-I’m scared, Eddie.”

Eddie remembers that look. It’s the same look his sister gave him every time he tried to leave the room or her side. When she was in the hospital, he had to wait until she was fast asleep or with a doctor. Being by her side day and night, drained him empty. When her husband came, Eddie took that moment to leave and rest. God, he wish he didn’t. He regretted leaving that day. The way Jason looked at him, begging him to stay, was the same look she gave him when he walked into the elevator to go home. Their eyes matched, too, tears streamed down his face like his sister. Jason’s voice cracked when he begged him to stay, almost sounding like his sister. Eddie nodded his head, saying, “Okay,” he sat back down. “Okay. I’ll stay, Jason, I’ll stay.” He gripped Jason’s hand. “I’ll stay.”

Jason was shaking as he grinned thankfully at Eddie. He could see his clock winding down, and he heard the clock ticking in his head. Jason was watching the clock clicking, gears turning, his heart thumping to the beat of the little hand. The sands of time was spinning down, and he was going with it. Jason bit his lip, feeling terrified and scared. Two different emotions with two different levels. Jason looked down at his right forearm again. He noticed how large each scar was on his skin. The last cut is so close to his elbow, and it is deeper than the rest.

“What the hell was I thinking?” He muttered to himself. He glanced back at Eddie, shutting his eyes. The pain in his back faded as sudden as it came. He stopped breathing. His heart began to drop rapidly. “Eddie? Can… can I ask ya something?”

Eddie nodded his head. Venom was silent for the event after they listened to Eddie. They never watched a human die before, even when they eat a human, they never seen a human die. They normally try to help, but not today. When they first met, Venom knew Jason wasn’t a match or a perfect host. Maybe for a different one, but not him. Even if they wanted to heal him, they can’t because Jason… he would die if they interact with each other. Venom stayed still in the back of Eddie’s mind, floating around their skull and eyes.

“Go ahead, Jason,” Eddie answered softly. He kept an eye on the heart monitor, and it was keeping a steady pace but it was falling.

Jason bit the corner of his lips. “Are you… um, bi or something?” He felt comfortable asking this.

Eddie never thought about it. Maybe not bisexual? Was he? He _did_ sleep with a man once. Then he was engaged with Anne, and he was on and off with both male and females for one-night stands and lonely hours. What about Venom? They are together. “I wouldn’t say that,” Eddie said as he sat up. “I think I’m a poly or pan? I really don’t know, Jason.” Eddie was being honest with themselves and Jason. He really didn’t have an answer for him. “You?”

Jason gave a smile. “Pan and proud.” His eyes were shinning in the halo of light. He was leaving soon, Jason was. He felt his heartbeat drop, climbing down slowly. His brothers weren’t here. He wasn’t mad about it, though. He wouldn’t want them to see him like this. Richard would go back drinking heavily and Jordan would lose it. They shouldn’t need to see another sibling die. Not here. “May I have some more water, please?” And the way he talked—he never had good enough grammar. He was speaking clear and perfect like his sister did. _That’s a new thing,_ he thought to himself.

Eddie grasped the cup and carefully lifted Jason’s head. He felt like he was back with his sister again. “Small sips,” he reminded. Jason finished the cup of water, and he was grinning up at Eddie when, his heart dropping deeper and farther down. Eddie glanced down at him. He didn’t notice the scars on his core bones and under his neck. They were faded and varied in unusual sizes and lengths. One caught Eddie’s eye, though—one long and faded on the right side of his cheek bone, stopping a forth away from his Adams apple. He couldn’t help but touch the scar, tracing his fingers gently over his skin. “What happened here?”

“That?” Jason asked, a chill traveling down his spine at his cold touch. “That came from a knife-gun stand-off. My firs’ yer’ as a cop. Late call. Gang fight. One got me and cut me deep. It’s weird, though. I lived.”

Eddie kept tracing his fingers on the line. “Is that why you cut?”

“No, Eddie,” Jason said as he kept his eyes on Eddie. “When my sister died, I went… went off.” His eyes were weaving now. “The knife was all over me. My legs, chest, arms, one under my neck,” Eddie’s hand stopped. “Yeah, I know it’s stupid, but I was in a bad place—”

“When?” Venom made Eddie ask. “When was the last one?” He hadn’t moved his hand from the spot.

“About five months ago,” Jason answered, licking his lips. “My brother’s wife saw them when I was wearing a t-shirt. I stopped wearing t-shirts. I hate the way they feel,” Jason’s right hand reached up and pulled Eddie’s hand down to his chest. “Between you and me, I hate the way air touches my body. I hated when light touches my skin. I hate feeling everything around me.”

“It’s like static,” Eddie said understandingly. “You can’t stand feeling the noise, and you can’t stand being near it.” The blood bag was nearly empty. “That’s why you run to danger, huh? You want to get hurt because you’re scared of feeling.”

“Your pretty _and_ smart fer a’ reporter. It’s weird seeing that in a reporter.”

Eddie’s cheeks suddenly felt warm, blushing a light pink. “I thought you said I look like shit?”

“Let’s just say I know what good shit looks like,” he laughed lowly to himself. He felt tired and his eyes were heavy. Eddie’s fingertips were cold and soft against his scar, and Jason smelt a slight hint of mint from his hands. Jason could feel his heart dipping. “Hey, Ed?” His voice grew low and silent. “Can… can I ask you somethin’ else?”

He kept his hand on Jason’s chest, gripping his lightly. “Yeah?” Eddie asked, matching his tone.

“If… if you find that girl,” Jason felt like he could sleep forever. God, he was so tired. “Could… could ya thank er’ fer me?” His breathing was slower, his head filled with a ticking sound. The ticking was loud in his mind, ringing like the church bells on Harrison Street. His mother took him and his family to that church. He was baptized on the same day his father was killed in the army. No one told him how his father died, but he just _died_. “Can ya do tha’ fer me?”

“You can do that yourself, Jason,” Eddie said. “You’re not going to die.”

Jason cracked a fragile smile, shutting his eyes, his head relaxing and spinning, his mouth tasted iron and rust. “Please?” He asked. Jason’s voice was softer than before, cracking and falling under the fog. “Please, Eddie?”

Eddie could feel his chest rise and fall deeper. “Yeah, Jason,” he answered. “Just—hold on for me, okay?—”

“I… I just thought of… something,” Jason said thoughtfully, his eyes slightly opening. “I-I kinda love ya.” His eyes glanced up at Eddie. The halo of light hit his eyes just right, so perfectly, that his icy blue eyes glimmered like fresh snow. He couldn’t look away from his eyes, beautiful and bright. Jason grinned lightly, breathing steady and smooth. “Your eyes… just… _beautiful_ ,” he murmured to himself. “Just…” His chest rise. He didn’t look away. He didn’t want to miss them. “Beautiful.” His chest fell.

Jason’s hand let go of Eddie’s, but he held it still. He was looking at Jason as time around him slowed. He watched his heart monitor drop, his heart flat lining. His lower lip began to quiver. “I’m sorry,” Eddie said suddenly. He voice scared him. “I didn’t mean to bring you into this.” He felt a tear fall from his eyes. “We didn’t mean to bring you here.”

His arms began to shake in Jason’s hand. Venom slithered over their hands, squeezing tightly. Eddie was breathing heavily, his shoulders shaking. “Venom, promise me. Promise me that we’ll kill him? Promise me.”

He feel backwards into a black inky blanket. **“We promise.”** They let go of his hand, keeping it on his chest

Venom went to the window, but stopped. He looked back at Jason. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully, but it felt wrong leaving him in the dark room. Venom left the window and walked towards the flower vase. He picked the healthiest flower in the cup, and he placed in under Jason’s hand. Venom ran his claws over Jason’s scars gently. **“Sleep well, small human,”** he whispered.

He turned his back, leaving him in the room out the window. The sun was setting, and nearby, they heard a small bird singing.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... there's that.


	25. Mr. Russo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molts solve problems.

Mr. Russo closed early. Not because he was busy, no… it was a sign for respect. He swept and moped the tiles floors, closed the front windows (except one he kept open half-way), wiped down the chairs, tables, cups, shakers, walls, washed the dishes and cups, and sat in the shop at the counter with a photo in his hands.

It was Jason, smiling in his uniform, at Pride. He was standing with a group of young teenagers, all smiling and happy about themselves.

Mr. Russo went with his grandson, Tony (once known as Victoria until fourteen. When he told, the first thing Mr. Russo did was teach him how to tie a necktie and a bow tie.), to taste this rainbow shake. He remembered Tony marveling over the colorful drink, layered in bright colors. The whip cream was a soft red, then a faded golden orange, a daisy yellow, a perfect grass green, a soft ocean blue, and, under that, a very soft Easter purple. The shake was topped with white, black, gold, and silver stars. The customer picked the straw.

Tony pointed out some of his friends and had them introduced to Mr. Russo and what id their sexuality. The girl in a bright and playful yellow dress is into girls. Mr. Russo thought about making a bright pink lemonade drink with strawberries, but he made pink lemonade cupcakes called “The Big Les”. A boy with patchy black and white skin and wore a bright green shirt is into boys. Mr. Russo made a blue Oreo mint milkshake and named “Boy Blue”. Then twins, a sister and a brother. The brother is straight; his sister has no interest in anyone or anything sexually. At first, it didn’t make since to Mr. Russo, so he asked questions about it. After she explained, gave details, and examples, Mr. Russo smiled at her and told her that he was happy that she is happy. He created a shake call “ACE”, and the drink is layer in the flag colors, all topped with whip cream and silver stars with a black straw. For her brother, he made a nice root beer float in a frozen glass named “Protector”. Another girl (name Rain, but once known as Ryan) who wore a full suit and tie is dating his grandson. He found it his Grandfather Job to welcome her to the family. For his grandson and girlfriend, he made the “Transformer”, a sub sandwich with blue cheese, cold-cut meat, and lite mayo on Italian bread with recommend Sprite as the drink.

When he was done meeting his friends, he saw Jason making his foot rounds. He waved at him, and Jason waved back. He was wearing long sleeves in the light weather of June, and he looked happy to be there.

“Mr. Russo,” Jason addressed, tipping his hat at the kids.

“Jason,” Mr. Russo said. “You remember my grandson, right?” He beckon Tony to come. “This is Tony.”

Jason and he shook hands. “Ni’ ta mee’ cha’, Tony.”

“Hey, officer?” The girl in yellow—Beth—said. She was pulling out a Polaroid and film. “You should totally get a photo with us.”

“Totally, man,” the Ace—Quin—said with a smile. “One for her and the other for Mr. Russo’s shop.”

“Yeah!” Mr. Russo said. “I hardly have any photos of you in the café, and,” he looked at the group of teenagers, proudly smiling. “I need an updated photo of my grandson and friends.”

He took the first photo Beth. The second one, his grandson and friends are in the front, others saw what they were doing and joined in. At the end, Mr. Russo had to climb a park table to get a group photo if the giant group of teenagers, adults, kids, his grandson and friends, and Jason. In the photo, you can see different flags, people, smiles, and people coming together. Mr. Russo calls it “Unity”.  

His cat jumped on the counter and rubbed her head against him, meowing softly. “I know, I know, Pickles,” he sighed, his thumb rubbing on the corner of the photo. “I’m going to miss him, too.” Next to him, he grasped a silver frame with a pansexual flag as the background and slipped the photo in its place. “It’s not much, Jason,” he said as he slid off the seat and walked towards the window. “But, I know you were always simple when it came to frames.” He placed the photo on the windowsill then placed two small flags next to it. One the police flag and the bright rainbow flag Jason gave him. He took a deep breath and looked out the window. “Look at that, Jason,” he sighed and gave a shaking smile. “The sun is going down for you,” tears started to fall. “And there’s a bird singing a song for you.” He rubbed his hands over his eyes, his nose sniffling. “Nature did it all for you.”

He took a shaky breath and left the window. Pickles meowed questionably, cocking their head, one ear up and the other down. “He will be fine, Pickles. Besides, I might ask Donny to take his cat.” Pickles meowed again, and it sounded like a question. “Yes, you’re going to have a little sister.”

He rounded the counter to head in the kitchen, and waited for her to hop on his shoulder. “I’ll lock the back door and we can leave, eh?” She snuggled close to his neck. “Yeah, I know. It’s a good idea.”

They went to the kitchen and head to the back. The area was cleaner now, and he made a list of things he needed Pickles jumped off his shoulder and landed on a shelf, walking close to him. Mr. Russo slipped on his spring jacket and put on his Yankee ball cap his son gave him for his gave him for his birthday last year. Speaking of his son, Author, he should call him up and ask if they are going to a game in June with his other brother, Brenden, and sister, Ophelia.

Author lives in the city and is a grand business owner. He has been married for eleven years to a bright and pretty, blonde-haired woman named Rachel. He has three kids—Trever, eight; Dylan, six; and Rex, four—with one on the way (hopefully named Ashely after his wife). They live Up-State in the heart of the city, but Author does visit him on his days off and help out in the shop. In all of Mr. Russo’s life, he has never met anyone who could make a better hoagie like his oldest son.

Brenden lives in Watertown, which is five hours north of Queens. He’s married to Ursula, who has the most beautiful black skin Mr. Russo has ever seen. She can’t have kids, though, but they are foster and run-away parents for teenagers. Brenden works as a police officer, and Ursula is apart-time nurse at the hospital.

The boys living with them are Rimy (15; he ran away from his family because he is dating a man). Dustin (Run-away from Arizona; lived there for two years, good grades), Ray (Adopted three years ago; sex trafficker survivor, use to cut but stop, and helping others). Then there’s Roy (Adopted two years ago; doesn’t like school but can fix anything with a battery, and can cook anything) and Frances (Run-away from Louisiana with fair skin; never wanted to run-away, but his family couldn’t afford to keep him around and planned to kill him, and he’s loving it).  The four boys are seventeen-years-old.

The newest member came—about—three weeks ago, Devan, who is fourteen-years-old. Devan is an interesting one because he killed his father, older brother, and a police officer, and nearly became a mass school shooter, but he was stopped by Ray, his best friend. As his punishment by the state, he has to live with the family, become a model citizen for the next ten years, find a job, and graduate college. When Mr. Russo met Devan through Skype, he determined that he has a tattoo on his shoulder and is not afraid to kill again.

The girls living there is Ariel (13; Run-away, and on top of her grades). Dahlia (Adopted one year ago and has dark skin; hates pumpkin, and listens to classic jazz), Randy (Adopted one year ago; Dahlia’s twin with white skin, loves pumpkin, and listens to hard rock), and Joyce (Run-away with dark skin and mixed eyes of green and brown eyes; skate boards, and loves to cook). The three girls are sixteen.

Their new ones is Xin-Lyn and Victoria. Xin-Lin is a run-away also from sex-trafficking and seventeen. The only reason why she got away was by stabbing the man in the eye and ran into Brenden, who was on duty at the time. She’s eighteen and never went to school, but she knows how to read, write, simple math, and cook. When she learned that Mr. Russo owns a shop, she promised to do her best just to see his shop and work with him.

Victoria once was part of a huge operation when Brenden’s team found her. The man who stole her held a gun to her head; Brenden took the shot, freeing her. When she got back to her family at the police station, the first thing her father did was slap her across the face, calling her a slut. Her mother walked passed the scene and went to Brenden, telling him they didn’t want her anymore. That night, Brenden brought her home because a jail cell wasn’t going to work for her. Once Ursula and the girls sat down with her to talk about it, Brenden called up his father. Mr. Russo couldn’t remember the last time he cried before that phone call. Over the line, he told him about her and he couldn’t believe someone would do this to their child. She came in the home last week. He doesn’t know much about her, but he has high hopes for her.

His daughter, Ophelia, is married to a professor—Hamlet Roman—at a college in the city. She works at the college library, and she seems to enjoy it. They also have children. Tony (Victoria), who is going to be fifteen in two days, grows a small window garden. Oliver, who is eighteen, is graduating this year. Emily, who is twenty-one, will graduate as a teacher in health. Mr. Russo finds his daughter’s marriage as a small laugh because of the names. Never in his life he thought that a Shakespeare play would determine their love. When she introduced him when she was in high school, he and his wife started laughing at the romance coming alive in their living room. Then they made sure that Hamlet wasn’t planning on killing anyone to keep their love alive. Then her three children come over to his little shop as much as possible. Emily comes over on Wednesday nights to finish any projects for class the next day or to work. Oliver comes over when he can due to football, basketball, and homework. Tony loves to come over with his friends for projects, work, or just on a date with his girlfriend.

Ophelia was the first to marry in the family, then Brenden, and, last, Author.

Mr. Russo slid the key in the lock and started to set the alarm—

A large crash came from the front window, making Mr. Russo jump, his heart quickening. His hands grasped his chest in shock as he spun on his heels to the crash. His father died of a heart attack, he wasn’t planning on dying like that. Pickles jumped to the ground and her fur stood up, hissing at the noise. To his right, he grasped a broom and held a tight grip, walking cautiously to the front. Mr. Russo fought off rubbers once or twice every three months by himself, but time is catching up to him and it’s getting harder to punch a person in the noise. Pickle tries to help, but her one eye gives her a lesser hand than the attacker does.

“Is anyone out here?” He called out. “I wouldn’t hit you unless you do something first!” Pickles jumped on the counter, her throat rumbling a sharp hiss, her teeth baring. “I have a cat and I’m not afraid to use her!” He warned.

He figured it was down the hall by the bathroom. The hall was dark as golden rays touched the cleaned tables and booths when he stepped from behind the counter. In the darkness, he could make out a dark shadow crouching in the hall. He let out a tired sigh. “I can see you,” he said. “Please come out or I’m calling the police.”

He watched the shadow grow, its head nearly touching the ceiling. Mr. Russo knows that it’s hard for a six-foot-seven-basketball player to stand there, but this one is taller and _bigger_ than that. Mr. Russo gripped the handle as he thought about the Flash Family and the monster in the city. Gulping, he stepped away from the shadow, feeling how small he was. He was short for his age, yes, like his mother, but he didn’t know he was this small. A broom isn’t going to take this thing down. No. Not a chance. In the darkness, towering over him, large white, pearl eyes stare down at him. Pickles jumped on Mr. Russo’s shoulders, hissing at the shadow. The shadow crept out a large clawed hand from the shadows and stood a large mass of ink and silk. He. Was. _Big._ He watched the large mass cut through the shadows and loom over him in the shop.

But Mr. Russo fought in Vietnam. This was a walk in the park… minus the large, monstrous-looking demon with claws and looks like it literally born from the darkness.

Pickles’ claws showed under the light as she hissed at it, her teeth showing.

Mr. Russo held the broom close to his chest as if it were a gun, his gun from the past. “May I help you?” He gulped at the size of the monster and teeth… some many jagged, sharp teeth.

At first, the thing stood silently, looking down at him. **“We are sorry to intrude, but—”**

“‘ _We_ ’?” Mr. Russo asked. “What do you mean by that?” He quickly glanced over his shoulder. He’s going to amuse that this is a ‘he’ because of the thunderous rumbled voice they had, but it’s 2018. “Is there more of you?” He looked back up at him then said respectfully, remembering the teeth and the story about the Flash family. “If there are, it’s okay—”

The monster put a hand up, halting the little man. **“No; there is just us. My host and me.”** Their voice suddenly became softer. **“We… we, er, heard that you make good shakes.”** Though it was a dark, black, standing pile of ink, Mr. Russo could see him blushing in embarrassment. He acted shy when he asked! It’s almost like a child.

If he wasn’t having a death grip on the broom, he would’ve dropped it on the floor, but his mouth flung open instead. This thing. In his shop. Knows about his shop. Knows about his milkshakes. This _thing_ knows about his shop and milkshakes. If he says no, there was a high chance that he could be eaten. He looked back at the little memorial he made for Jason then back at the monster. “You know what happened to Jason, yeah? The officer who died today?” When the monster looked to the ground and said nothing, Mr. Russo’s face soften. “You’re new here, you know?” Mr. Russo left him and went to the counter. “I’ll make you something. You got a preferred one?”

 **“Something with lots of chocolate,”** they said, trying to keep their voice low.

“Good choice,” he said, a soft grin forming on his face. His arm extended as he said, “Have a seat—I’ll join you.”

And he did. He made a molt for the creature and poured a glass of water for him. When he came out, he found the black creature sitting on the floor. They looked up and said, **“We do not want to break the chair.”** If Mr. Russo wasn’t good at reading people, the monster was afraid, or sad, or shy. The more he looked at the large monster, he saw a child. Mr. Russo pulled a chair from the center table and gave the creature the molt. **“Thank you.”**

 _So, they do have manners,_ Mr. Russo thought. “You’re welcome.”

The creature spun their spoon in the molt, lost in thought. **“Do,”** they started nervously. **“Do you think it was a good idea? To come here? To New York?”**

Mr. Russo cocked a brow confused. “There is a reason for everything, young one.” He leaned back in his chair, keeping the drink in his hand. “There was no mistake for you coming here. To New York? Nah, you came for...um, your host. Coming to my shop?” He shrugged. “I do not see a fault in it. You caught me leaving anyways.” He took a drink. “There is a special plan for everyone in the world.”

Venom was asking Eddie this, but Mr. Russo said it better. **“You… you knew Jason well,”** the monster looked up from the floor. **“What was he like?”**

A kind grin crossed under his think black mustache. “He wasn’t the smartest, but he wasn’t the dumbest. He always looked for ways to run into danger, wither him starting it or not.” He chuckled to himself. He lifted his free hand and pointed at a picture on the wall. “See that one? In the silver frame? No, not that one. The other one—with the sun bleeding through the flag. Yeah, that one. You see it? Just under the green one with a married couple, close to a picture of the Senator from Orange.” He glanced at the monster, squinting at the sea of memories. “Found it?”

**“Yes.”**

“I had to hang that picture because of Jason,” he said as he kept pointing at the photo. “His sister—God rest her soul—took that picture. She’s blind, too! But she had more sight than me. Anyways, under the frame is a bullet hole.” He watched the creature shoulders jolt in surprise. “He shot the wall because there was a large black spider.” He chuckled at the memory, remembering his scream, the gun flying out, shooting the wall. “Scared the living lights out of me, but the spider was gone.”

He heard the creature laugh with him.

“May I ask why you want to know about him?” Mr. Russo asked.

The monster brought the straw to their mouth and took a quick drink. The molt was nearly gone when they finished. **“We were there when he passed,”** they said, looking up at him. **“I, myself, do not understand death of other humans. I… I do not understand why we feel…”** their voice trailed. **“I do not understand.”**

He placed his glass down on the floor and crossed his arms. Pickles pranced off a booth and jumped on Mr. Russo’s shoulder. “Sometimes, death is good.” He said thoughtfully. “When my wife died, I didn’t understand why, either. I felt like it was me, but I knew it wasn’t.” He looked down at the monster. “You, as yourself, feel sad, yeah? You’re mourning for him. You felt a connection with him. When there is a connection and it breaks, it feels like part of you died with them. I know that feeling when I lost my Ashely, my wife. I felt it when a boy here lost his parents and uncle.” The golden light touched his shoes. “When the sun goes down, you want to go with it, but you know that the sun comes up the next day. If the sun can do that, then you can do it, too.” Feeling brave, he patted the creature on the shoulder. Its skin was cold and smooth. To his surprise, the creature didn’t attack him or try to fight him. “So, what are you what are you going to do now?”

The creature rolled his finished his drink. **“We plan to do something right.”** He stood up, Mr. Russo moving his hand before. The creature is gave him the empty glass. **“Thank you,”** he rumbled politely, smiling at the man. Mr. Russo knew it was trying to be polite.

As they walked away, Mr. Russo called from his chair, “The Flash family.” The halt. “Did you do it?”

In the darkness, his eyes were glowing. **“No.”**

“And the bridge? You with the Spider? Do you intend to harm him?”

**“No, but if he gets in the way, we will.”**

 Without another word, the monster slipped away in the darkness, and Mr. Russo didn’t want to stay longer than he should.

 

Venom watched Mr. Russo lock the door, leaving with the cat on his shoulder. He didn’t mean to scare him, but it happens. How else would people act if they saw them?

They came to his shop for the molt, but they didn’t know Mr. Russo was still there. They needed the energy for the night. Soon, once the sun goes down, the hunt will began. The little man knows more than Venom, and it felt right hearing him.

The sun was about to touch the water by the bridge. **“Shall we?”**

 _Yeah,_ Eddie answered. _Let’s go find Lizzy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some more reason's to love Mr. Russo.


	26. Two Birds. One World.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's look at the girls for a bit.

When Lizzy woke up, she was laying on a bed with Mr. Turtle tucked under her arm. It was soft and warm, and the blankets were heavy and warm over her. She looked around the room. She saw the shadows of a desk, a chair, and a dresser, the door shut. It wasn’t her room, though—the curtains are drawn. Officer Donny’s jacket hung on the door knob She glanced around the room under the blankets—

She suddenly felt fear and afraid. Lizzy looked under the covers and sighed with relief. She was still in the bloody clothing, so, Mr. Flash didn’t do anything to her.

 _That’s good,_ she thought to herself. Her eyes circled the room and saw a clothes pile on the desk. Carefully, she climbed out of bed and wonder to the clothing. They were clean and smelt good, soft when she touched them. The shirt was black, jean shorts, a comb, and white socks. She smiled thoughtfully. “That was nice of him,” she murmured to herself as she took the clothing.

Quickly, she changed clothing, and they fit perfectly. She combed her hair and smiled to herself. She looked neat and clean. Now, a shower would do to wash the dried blood off her legs and hands, but she looked nice. She grasped Mr. Turtle and went to the bedroom door. She opened to find the sun beaming through a window. It was a golden ray on the floor, casting a shadow of flowers in a vase. The hallway was short and looked almost like her apartment. If she was beating, she must be at Mr. Flash’s apartment. His apartment was shorter and smaller, though, but she didn’t mind.

Her feet pattered on the floor as she walked down the hall. The walls are a golden brown with white trimming. Nice. The wooden floor has a fresh coat of wax and stain. Neat. The white ceiling is clean and wiped down, no cob webs in sight. Amazing. The little hallway felt warm in the sun light and rays, and she smiled at the sunflowers on the small nightstand. She turned left and found Mr. Flash sleeping in an armchair. He was facing her, but he was sleeping with his head back and mouth open. He looked peaceful and tired. His hair was cut shorter and he looked like he shaved. She hugged her turtle as she looked out the window. No, she was still in New York. She knew because of the Empire State Building. She could see it.

 _Should I go to bed or sit in the living room?_ She thought to herself, biting her lips. She didn’t want to wake him up, but she didn’t want to be alone. Lizzy found herself at a stale mate. She could find a phone and call her mother, but that could endanger her if Mr. Flash woke up. Maybe run away? No, that’ll be more trouble on her end. She could find the cops!—but Mr. Flash might find her again and he might hurt her or them. Lizzy shook her head. This was tough. _I better stay in here and wait for him to wake up._

She crept into the room, careful not to wake him up, and sat on the love sofa. The living room is like her cozy home, but the walls is a dark red. It was a nice size for something in New York. She her eyes lingered around the home. There is a fruit bowl on the counter, a dark brown rug under the glass coffee table, a big T.V. in front of her, their shoes against the wall, an out stretched hand—

Wait… what? She glanced her head over the sofa. There was a man, a white man; his green eyes opened wide, a knife driven in his throat, dead. She felt sick as she shot her head around. She hurried off the couch and sped down the hall she came from and found the bathroom door shut. The toilet seat was luckily open when she threw up. When she finished, she felt someone watching her. She lifted her head from the bowl and glanced over to her left. In the tub, another man laid with his brown eyes opened, but there was rope around his neck, dead. She threw up again.

Shaking, she stood up and flushed the toilet, but she left the seat up for safekeeping. She left the bathroom, crept into the living room for her turtle, left, and went to her room. When she was back, she shut the door and went to bed. She sat with the covers over her legs, not moving or thinking. There were two dead people in the apartment. How many more have to die? She hugged Mr. Turtle tightly in her arms when she thought about it. Maybe she could try to leave like she did at Jason’s house? No, she didn’t know where to go and how to get there.

A sick knock twisted in her stomach. Shaking, she looked under the bed—

She was face-to-face with another man. His eyes were wide and dark as they stared at her. His mouth opened and still. He, too, had a rope around his throat, and it was tied to the bedpost tightly. Her head shot up as she let out a scream. Her body started to shake as she hugged her legs close to her chest along with Mr. Turtle. She had enough. She was scared.

Behind the door, she heard feet jogging towards her. The door flung open, Mr. Flash’s shadow casting on the bed. He looked frighten and worried, but his face relaxed with a sigh. “Good gosh, kid,” he said. “Don’t do that—”  

“There is a dead body under the bed,” she said, her voice shaking and cracking. “One in the tub and one behind the couch!” She felt like she was going to lose it. “Mr. Flash, why?”

His eyes soften as he took a step forward. He must have feel asleep after he was done with… them, and she was… well, he placed her into the lope. He made sure she couldn’t see anything. When he went to get her, she was asleep. The trauma was too fast for her to processes, and she was out when he came back. When put her to bed, he was glitching all over the room. The only reason why he stopped as him finding a bottle of wine in the fridge. It was bitter and new, fresh even, but it was enough to knock him out. It was a good nap, he wasn’t lying, but he wished he cleaned up after himself. _Poor kid, she’s be through Hell today. I did that to her._ “Lizzy, I didn’t mean to scare ya.”

“Well, you’re doing one heck of a job,” she snapped back, her back pushing against the bed frame.

“Lizzy—”

“No!” She whimpered. “Don’t.”

He sat on the edge of her bed and folded his hands. There was no way he was going to try to justify himself. She’s smarter than that, smarter than him. He didn’t say anything as he sat on the bed. If he did, it’ll scare her even more. She was only a child—a _child!_

“I’m really am sorry for taking you, Lizzy,” he said. “I mean it.”

She kept her distanced and asked, “If you do, then why not take me back and apologize to my mom? I-I know that there is a big chance that she might hit you with a shoe, but—if you apologize—”

“It’s not that simple, Lizzy,” he said stressful. “I can’t just go back and start over. I started down this path,” he looked over his shoulder at her. She was hugging her legs and her turtle close to her. “I have to see it through.”

He stood up from his spot. She didn’t notice the dry blood on his hands until he shoved thing in his pocket. Dark jeans and a dark red shirt. The leather jacket. It all made him look bigger and bolder. She took in a deep breath nervously. He could do anything he wanted to her, so, why keep her waiting? She knows that kidnapers do some… bad things to little girls like her. She didn’t like this; she didn’t like any of this. He knelt down, and heard him drag the body towards him.

“What are you going to do to him?” Lizzy asked, twisting Mr. Turtle’s arm nervously. Mr. Flash through the body over his should as if it was nothing. He left her room after shutting the door, leaving with the body. “Oh, boy,” she said. “What are we going to do, Mr. Turtle?” She looked around the room. It does look like a room for a boy in college… she thinks. “This is bad,” she said as she kept her eyes on the shut door. “Like, really bad.”

When she felt ready, she moved from her spot at went to the window. The sun was going down over the city. It looked beautiful. The glass on neighboring buildings reflected the golden rays, and the light was so bright it burned her eyes with wonder. She lifted a hand to touched the glass, expecting to touch a cold sheet of glass, but her hand slipped through. Her hand felt the breeze outside the glass. Her eyes grew as her fingers moved freely outside. She pulled her hand back and looked at the closed closet. _It wouldn’t hurt to try,_ she thought to herself. Gripping her turtle, she crossed the room to the shut door. Thinking about her mother, she shut her eyes, opened, and opened the door.

 

“The doctor said that we need to go home and rest,” Flash said as he sat across from his sister. “But we can’t go back.”

Jesse put her ham sandwich down and chewed thoughtfully. “I bet if you ask Tiffany’s parents, you could spend the night?”

Ms. Dawn sat between the two. “I spoke with that Mary gal,” she said. “I’m spending the night the station until they find my daughter.”

Flash rubbed the back of his neck. It was sore and the muscles felt tight. “I’m sorry about Lizzy,” he said. “I really hope that nothing bad happens to her.”

Ms. Dawn rubbed her fingers on the sleeve. “Me, too. This city is big enough for her. With Eddie gone, who knows what he might do, and Peter… she must be so scared.”

Jesse reached out and grasped her hand. “It’s going to be alright. Donny’s team is the best on this side of the river.”

“But they’re missing a person,” Flash said blankly. “I still can’t believe that Jason is gone. Like, really gone.” He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the plain ceiling. “How’s his brothers taking this?”

Ms. Dawn shook her head. “Both are a mess. I heard they lost their sister, too.” She gripped Jesse’s hand lightly. “I know that Lizzy isn’t going to like this.”

Jesse nodded in agreement. There wasn’t much for her to say, really. She felt like two boats stuck in a pin drop. There wasn’t a way out of this problem, and there was no way anyone could find her. If this guy was a time traveler, it’s going to be hard to find her. For all she knows, they could be somewhere in a different time, crossing lines that Lizzy wouldn’t understand. She took a deep breath and let it out slow. There has to be a new way—a better way to find her.

Eddie’s gone.

Peter left with Abigale behind, telling her that she has somethings to do.

It’s just her, her brother, and Ms. Dawn. With no parents and close relatives, Ms. Dawn was the closest mother figure they got. All there was left to do is sit and wait for CPS to approve Eddie to be their parents. For the oddest reason, he was their godfather. No godmother. He isn’t even part of her family! Then she thought over the times he came through for them, and for her. When she was doing a project of waste in California, she asked Eddie about his thought about it. He didn’t just gave him opinions, no—he did a full report for her, digging deep and finding out better ways for the city. With those facts, arguments, and pictures, she passed the class in flying colors plus bonus! Still. None of it made since to her, and she didn’t feel like asking her brother about it.

Flash looked tired and weak. His eye was starting to open again, and his swollen neck looked almost better, but he looked too tired to be awake. Too tired to be alive—

She shook her head. She shouldn’t be thinking about that, not about her brother. “I know she’ll be fine,” she told herself. “She’s tough, right? So, she can do it.”

Ms. Dawn let go of her hand and leaned her back against the chair. “Let’s hope the police find her before Venom does.”

“The Demon?” Flash asked. “What does he want with her?”

“The Demon—Venom—I am believe that they swore to protect her,” she said. “One day, there was a robbery, and Venom saved us and returned her turtle that she loves so much. Before they left, she stopped them and thanked him for saving us. Ever since then, when we are out at night or walking home, I can feel him watching us, watching her.”

_Gosh, I’m a liar._

Jesse let out a puffed of air. “That’s cool—but not that kind of cool, ya know?”

“I guess when there’s a monster looking over your daughter at night,” Ms. Dawn said mostly to herself. “While we wait, my old captain is coming over.”

Jesse cocked an eye. “Like, Military-Captain?” _Almost forgot she was part of the military._

“Yes,” she said sitting up. “If you two are going to be around, please—stay on your best behavior.” Jesse felt like she was a little seven-year-old again.

Jesse leaned back in her chair. She had to admit, she was tired. The whole day, from lunch to about an hour ago, she’s been talking to a doctor, an officer (off-record, of course), and back to the doctor again. The male doctor wrote her a note for another doctor to talk about her feelings (highly doubtful) and find… “closure” of her parents’ death. If she wasn’t lying to herself, she was glad that her parents were gone. Her father always beating her and her brother whenever he wanted, and her mother going out, getting drunk, forgetting her children—might as well say that she doesn’t have a family. But, the doctor tells her that she’ll find help within these walls, but she only found pamphlets on Heroin, pregnant teens, and treatments for the flu. Nothing to help her with dead and abusive parents.

Jesse was holding herself together perfectly for her older brother, but he knew that she was screaming on the inside. Moments like those in the bathroom, helping each other, saving each other—the siblings knew when they had enough. Last night seemed to be that point. She leaned back in her chair and looked forward at a closed door. Where did it go? Not out of here. She saw some nurses and doctors come in and out with other people. One mother with a sick kid, a redhead boy with a broken arm, there was a girl doing a check-up on her missing ear lop. It almost made her feel sorry for being here.

“Hey, Jess?” Flash’s voice snapped her out of her deep thoughts. “You okay? You look like you’re traveling through a tunnel.”

She swallowed nervously. The bags under his eyes were larger in the golden sunlight. “You looks so bad,” she said, surprising herself.

He winced when he lifted his shoulders. “It’s alright, sis. The nurse was stunned when I told her nothing was broken.” He laugh, acting as if he told a joke.

“Brother,” she groaned.

He gave her a big grin, his dorky grin. “You need to sleep, sis.”

“So do you.”

“Hey,” he said offend. “Don’t talk to your Elder Brother like that.”

“Don’t talk to your Younger Elf like she’s a child,” she crossed her arms. They both sat in silence, intensely staring, arms crossed, and a wild look in their eyes.

“What in the name of Holy Jesus are you two doing?” Ms. Dawn asked.

Flash didn’t tear his eyes from her. Sliding a hand into his pocket slowly, he pulled out a black felt back. He leaned forward as he reached into the bag. “Call it in the air,” he said quickly, tossing his hand out.

“Evens!” She said confidently.

The dices rolled and clinked together before coming to a stop. Their heads touched as their eyes lingered to the floor, her head doing quick addition. A cheap smile crept across her face. “Eighty-two,” she smirked, punching his non-sworen-arm.

They lean up, her pride beaming brightly, but her brother’s smug face threw her off. He began to chuckle lowly as if he had a master plan. “Dear, sweet, Young Elf,” he licked his tongue, shaking his head. “Do you have the Wand of Banishment and the Leaves from the Grand Fire Bush with you to claim it?”

“Oh.” Ms. Dawn shot up. “My.” Then she was on her feet. “Gods.” She looked back and forth at the two imperial shock. “Are you two _really_ playing Dungan’s and Dragons? At a hospital?”

“Hush. Not now, fellow watcher,” Jesse said, her voice changing into an Irish accent. “For you, Elder Brother of Quarters Travel, yes,” she watched his smug face fall. “I _do_ have those items.” Then she pulled out her wallet from her back pocket, unzipped it carefully, and grassed the tokens. One token is a bright red coin from an old pizza place her and her brother went to when she was younger. The other is a silver, quarter-sized coin with three lightning bolts on each side. “Your Leaves from the Grand Fire Bush,” she handed the tokens to him, laying them at his shoe.

Look felt like he was grasping at straws. _There is no way she has the other one._ “But the Wand of Banishment—”

Ms. Dawn crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe this—”

“Oh,” Jesse said. “Believe it, foolish mortal.” Jesse always felt strong when she spoke in Irish. Reaching into her front pocket, her hand took out an unsharpened, black coated, smooth and shiny pencil. In the middle, there was a white crack running up and down the center. She placed the pencil next to the tokens. “The Wand of Banishment, dear Elder Brother,” her voice was smooth and dangerous.

Flash was lost for words. _How… how did she?_ As he looked for words, dry laughter made his body jolt. She won this one, he had to hand it to her. “You win this round,” he said as he picked up the items at his shoes and handing them back to her. “But next time, I’m winning.”

“Not on my unlit stove, honey,” she said.

“What the hell was all of that?” Ms. Dawn asked annoyed. “That’s something Eddie would do.”

Jesse relaxed as she let her Irish tongue fade. “When we have an argument over the same thing, we do this.”

“Yeah,” Flash said, still tasting defeat. “There’s a small gang of kids in the neighborhood that plays DnD all the time.” He shrugged. “I don’t play as often as I use to, but, when we have an argument,” He held up a blue crystal twenty-four-sided dice proudly. “I always carry the bag with me.”

Ms. Dawn rested her head in hand. “Why am I not surprised?” She left for the coffee machine.

The two siblings looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh. It felt good to be with each other again, and a moment like this makes him smile, remember. Flash knew that everything will be okay. He just knew that everything was going to be alright. With his Uncle Eddie and Venom on their side, he knew it was going to be okay. His sister is safe—that’s all that matters to him.

It is a big world, after all.

What’s the worst that could happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love writing about Jesse and Lizzy. I love the two so much :D


	27. Batteries and Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Spider learns from Lasher about love and car batteries.

_Not going to complain or anything, but this baby is heavy!_

**“Pipe down, will ya?”** It’s already struggle to keep you a train, it’ll get worse if Lasher’s host continues to talk. If Lasher wanted to, he could’ve dropped the subway train on Peter and walk off, but they knew better than that. Lasher know better than that. The green symbiote glanced over their arm at the Spider. **“Done yet?”**

“Almost got it,” Peter grunted as he worked on the third battery.

Soon after the last engine was parted and all the drivers left home, they didn’t waste any time to steal the batteries. The first train didn’t give them a problem when it came to the battery. The hood was already up and the keys were in the toolbox next to it. The second one was a bit tricky. The hood was stuck, which meant Lasher had to pry it open with their claws. They got shocked to first time, but they got it open on the second try. Getting the battery out was a struggle for a moment—Peter was not going to lie—but he got it out with a flat head and plyers. The third took almost twenty minutes to open. Whoever drives this train made sure no one steal their battery because before Lasher even touched it, they found an alarm taped inside. Pater had to dewier the alarm, but it took a while to find the right tools for the job. It took longer because the wires were crossed and connected to the switch. With that being said, Peter had to go on the other end of the train and disconnect the power. He tried again to find out that that it was the wrong batteries.

In fact, they were aiming for the wrong part of the subway train.

After cursing himself, they left the train alone along with a note explaining what happened. What are they looking for new?  An AC Motor with a 25kV transformer that has all three phases and connect to a DC line voltage. In other words, they need four motors and a car battery to make the plan fly. After reading an article, looked up pictures, and mapped it out, they found out that the motor is under the “Bogie Bolster” (whatever that it) and wheels, which is under the train. The three-phase is inside the train itself. Overall, they just need one train to get the job done, but it’s not going to be easy. Someone has to keep the train up to get the parts.

“Are you strong enough to do that?” Peter asked concerned. “Because I don’t want you two to get hurt.”

 _Lash, he’s right,_ Abigale said timidly. _Can you do it?_

It is her body, but they were one. He knows her limits, and he knows how much she can take before she’s down and out. **“Yes,”** his voice as smooth and confident. **“We can.”**

They rolled their shoulders, and Peter watched green amber arms with claws float over him and under the train. Once Lasher felt comfortable with is footing, he walked towards the train and left it in the air as if it was nothing.

Peter wasted no time going to work. Who knows how long they got before police or someone notices them? Also, he didn’t want Lasher to get hurt along with Abigale.

Once he got the first one off, he hurried to get the others.

“I almost got it done,” Peter said as he finished removing the cuff-thing that was coving it. “Just one more.”

 _Lasher,_ Abigale whined.

 ** _A few more minutes, lovely,_** he cooed. **_Then we can rest._**

He felt her grew worry and scared. _Just don’t drop it on him._

He deeply chuckled in the back of their throat. **“Please, do not worry too much.”**

“Got it!” Peter said triumphantly. He crawled out under the train and dusted off his suit as Lasher lowered the train. “All that’s left is the three-phase and car battery.”

_Does it matter what type of car battery?_

**“It should,”** Lasher answered aloud. When Peter looked at him with questionable eyes, Lasher asked, **“Abigale wants to know if it matters for the car battery.”**

“Honestly, man,” Peter shrugged, “I’m making this up as I go after finding out about the motors.”

 **“I feel that,”** Lasher said, helped out his fist. Peter respectively fist pumped them. **“Now, how are we getting that phase-thing?”**

“We have to break into the train for that,” Peter said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I have no clue what to do.” He thought for a moment, wishing he had more time to redo his math and more about trains. “Do… do you think we need that part?”

Lasher could see numbers flying across the air. _If you get two Optima Red battery, which should make up for the three-phases._ Then he saw an image of the battery. It has a bright red top with thee, black, circular hills shapes for the side.

**“What’s Optima?”**

_A car battery._ He could see her shrug as if knowing this was nothing. _It’s a strong battery mainly found in Fords._

**_Fords?_ **

“Is everything alright?” Peter asked, cocking an eye.

Lasher held up a finger. **“I think Abigale has a plan.”** Peter watched Lasher’s face unfold and hover over Abigale’s head, her hair still perfect. Her hands moved: I saw a dealership nearby. They have stolen cars in their lot. Anyways, there are two F-150s in the lot that have an Optima Red Top battery—we can use as a replacement. She crossed their feet over a foot, her hands moving: If we play our cards right, Lasher and I could scare the owners long enough for you to take the batteries. Their easy to unhook, Pete. Then she rethought over it, her hands wondering in the air: I bet that the place is closed, anyways. No one can give us trouble.

Peter wishes he knew what she was saying. “Repeat that, please, Lasher.” Abigale rolled her eyes as Lasher took over again, repeating what she said. “Oh,” Peter said, nodding understandably. “Good idea, Abby.” Lasher could feel pride burn inside. How she knows about car batteries? Lasher and Peter didn’t want to know as they left the train yard, carrying the motors in a webbed-made-bag. Peter was swinging with one hand easily. He had to do this for school if he was running late.

 **“There!”** They said, pointing at the car lot.

Peter looked down at the car lot. She was right—some of the cars were stolen. He saw a friend’s missing jeep sitting in the front, and he saw a teacher’s old Dodge by the door. If he wasn’t stealing car batteries, he would’ve called the police about the location. Maybe after this whole thing he would. They landed inside the lot by two white trucks. “These it?” Peter asked as Lasher popped the hood with their claws.

They lifted the hood, and Abigale slipped a greedy smile at the engines. **“Bingo,”** they smirked as they disconnected the battery and handed it to Peter. They went to the next one and did the same thing. The spun on their heels and took the other battery from Peter. _Now, let’s get the heck outta here!_

 **“Let’s go.”** Lasher nodded his head up, raising the other arm.

Peter followed behind, swinging after them.

 

Within minutes, they were sitting on rooftop by the river. Below, they watched city crews set up for the Lights and for the band playing that night. The Lighting of the Lake is a large event in the city where it marks the turning of spring into summer. Peter remembers his aunt and uncle taking him to the Lighting when he was younger, wide-eyed, and courageous. Uncle Ben sat him upon his shoulders, high above the crowd to see the lights turn on, burning the sky and clouds. He would point at the colors changing in the water and over the bridges around town, smiling gleefully. Time then was so simple, but he got older with a job, school, and a college letter at home. Just three days ago— _three days ago!_ —his life was pretty normal with no worry about time collapsing on his city. After Eddie came to do the report about him, Spider-Man, everything turned south. Flash nearly losing his life, Eddie and Venom, Lasher and Abigale, Officer Jason—not to mention the bad guy is an evil version of Flash—and the report do on Monday… it was enough to make anyone’s head spin.

The sun was setting over the lake, and it was nearly gone. Another day ending; the countdown for New York ending ticking. Later tonight, Abigale agreed to help build the battery for Monday. All they need is jumper cables, and she said she could grab her father’s cable.

**“As long as we’re home before supper, we should be fine to help.”**

Peter lifted his mask enough to show his mouth. “Thank you for helping me today, guys.”

Lasher pushed out a hand. **“It’s nothing, Peter.”** They nudged an elbow in his ribs, Peter seeing an impression of a smile.

They sat silently on the roof as they watched the sun set. “Hey, Lasher?”

**“Hm?”**

“Can I tell you something?” He asked hopefully, his eyes shining in the last golden rays. Lasher looked at him and nodded at him. “When I tell you things about myself and problems,” he rubbed his hands together. “Do you hear them, too?”

Lasher nodded and looked at the lake. **“It is beautiful tonight. Peaceful, even.”**

 _Yeah,_ she hummed in admiration.

“So, you know about my feelings for…?”

 **“Jesse?”** Their voice perked. **“Oh, yeah, we knew before you even told us.”**

“Is it that obvious?”

They shook their head. **“Nah, Peter,”** Peter sighed in relief, **“We could smell it around you.”**

Peter’s nerves jumped. “What?”

A bird flew pass them. Lasher’s arm lunged out at the fat pigeon, brought it back, and swallowed it whole. Just before Lasher could talk, Jesse said, _Chew. Swallow. Talk._

 ** _Fine, fine,_** Lasher rolled his eyes. They looked over at Peter, who scooted away from them three inches away. **“Yeah, I did first. Abigale didn’t believe it until she saw the signs.”** Lasher ran his tongue over their teeth and searched for blood or feathers.

Peter rubbed his arms. “So… do you—Lasher—think I have a chance?”

 **“From my understanding about this planet, humans, and emotions,”** they crossed their legs on the ledge. The sun dipped into the water, turning the blue to a dark but lovely purple. **“Is that love is a strong emotion felt by two or one of the same. The heart seems to pump faster and hurt, hands sweaty, words run dry and low when around them—for you? Ha!”** Lasher shook their head as they faced the sun. **“There is a high chance.”**

“How do you know?”

 **“Because she loves you back, ding-dong,”** Lasher said for Abigale, groaning annoyed. **“She’s had this big crush on you since the middle school dance!”** _Gosh, I thought it was obvious!_ **“Her talking to you every passing period? Teammates?”** He felt Abigale rolling at his stupidity. **“And the dance coming up? Good gosh, Peter. You’re pretty dumb when it comes to flirting.”**

Peter’s cheeks flushed a bright red, feeling warm. “R-really?”

 ** _Oh, my god,_** Lasher thought helplessly. **_He really is a dumbass._**

_Yeah, I know._

**“Yes, she does.”** They crossed their arms as the sun disappeared in the water. **“Ask her to the Spring Formal. We know how you want to go with her, hold her hand… maybe,”** their voice trailed. **“Maybe you’ll kiss her.”**

Peter blushed a deeper red. “What? Pfft, no! No!” He crossed his legs. “Maybe. Just maybe.” He thought it over in his head and how it would play out. “Would she be okay if I did kiss her?”

That’s all he ever wanted to do. That’s all he ever felt around her. He didn’t know when he started liking her, never really knew when the butterflies bloomed inside his chest. He never thought of her eyes shining in the evening stars before, how her smile felt like the sun, or how soft her hands felt when they brushed against his skin in the hall. He never thought about the words jumping in his head and tied a noose around his neck when he tried to talk to her. He has to think about it before he tries anything. If he was lying, he never thought about her in a smooth red, knee-high dress at the homecoming dance and her hair in a beautiful braid. He never thought about how _good_ her cherry red lipstick would look on his neck, the warm, blissful feeling of those soft lips against his. Her eyes look up at him, getting lost in her star lit eyes.

“Fuck,” he breathed lowly to himself as leaned back to look up at the sky.

**“So? Are we going to build this thing? Or are we going to go and watch you win her?”**

Peter turned his body over and stood on the roof. “To the hospital?” He asked almost jumping, ready to go.

Abigale smiled devilishly. _Let’s go sail a ship, Lash!_

 

Dark eyes followed from behind. They had the parts, the motors to take him down, but they would be too late. If the moon should glow high and should the stars fall, he'll be there watching. The beauty and mystery of the world rest upon his shoulder. With the cop dead, it was only a matter of time before his plan would be set into motion. All he needed was Venom. All he needed was the time and space to work. Opening a void for himself is one thing, but opening a vortex for a city block-that's a challenge. But he needs it. Yes. He needs this plan to work. Two birds dead and with Venom running through his veins, he'll be himself... he would be unstoppable. A devilish smile curled upon his lips. Soon... very soon, he would be in control.

And Eddie would be no more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I got any of the car batteries wrong along with the motors, I am sorry. I did read articles over them and tried to fit it in them to my understanding. All in all, place your bets on what's going to happen next.


	28. Worlds Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone and everything comes together at one spot. What could happen?

Looking at everything around her—the windows, beds, chairs, doors, machines—Lizzy wondered down the hospital halls, looking for her mother. No one could see her though, which made things harder to ask for directions. It’s only a matter of time before Mr. Flash knows she’s gone. Once that happens, he’s coming for her. Thinking of that, she raced down the hall and looked for a sign of hope.

The last time she was at a hospital was for her check-up before school started. The nurses at her hospital were polite to her mother and her. The room she was in was painted a bright white with a dark brown floor. The room was cold only because outside was warm in the August heat. When the nurse came in, she checked her forehead, listened to her heartbeat and lungs, knocked her knees and elbows, and looked at her throat. Then they checked Mr. Turtle’s heart, shell, and hearing. When the nurse was done, she left the room for the doctor. She came back with a male doctor—Doctor Dan, one of Eddie’s friends—to do the rest. He checked her ears and eyes, talking to her mother about the gas prices down the road and the next bingo night down town. When he was finished, he checked Mr. Turtle’s shell.

“I see that there’s stitches on his shell,” he said, running a thumb over it. “A little accident?”

She nodded her head at the doctor. “Yes, his shell got caught between the dog in 4G and me. It’s not a big tear because Mama was able to fix it.” She kicked her feet on the table.

He nodded his head understandably. “I see… well, he looks okay. His heart’s fine—I think he’ll recover perfectly. Just watch his blood pressure—don’t want him to get stressed over nothing.” He nodded his head at the stuff turtle and said, “Don’t go near dogs, Mr. Turtle. Be a bit more careful next time, okay?” He gave her a playful smile at the turtle and to Lizzy. “I’ll be seeing him in two months when you’re due for some shots.”

When she left the room with Doctor Dan behind talking to her mother about Eddie and his special friend. To her remark, Lizzy said, “He has more than one friend? Gosh, Mr. Turtle,” she looked down at her stuffed friend, “he’s not as lonely like we thought. All that’s left is find a friend willing to go on a date with him.” Behind her, she heard Dan hold back a snort. When she left the hospital, they gave her a sucker and placed a little heart on Mr. Turtle’s shell.   

After that, they went to the ice cream shop nearby for an ice cream waffle cone. As she walked and ate her ice cream—Mr. Turtle in her mother’s purse—they headed to Eddie’s work to join him for lunch.

She’s only seen his work once and awhile, but not always. She didn’t like that he talked to strangers and started fights with powerful people. He tells her not to worry, but Lizzy does anyways. One time, when she was coming back from the mailbox one night, Eddie came limping up the steps with a black eye. He came her a grin and pretended that nothing happened. Of course, Lizzy told her mother about Eddie, and her and Ms. Dawn went to his apartment to check on him. To her surprise, Eddie had more than a black eye and a limp—a large black spot was on his back. It looked like an ink spot, and she swore that it moved. Her mother took care of his bruises while Lizzy made Eddie toast and popcorn for dinner. She wanted to make him eggs, but her mother told her never touch the stove.

Neither the less, they went to see him at work. The place is a fortress with windows upon windows, glimmering in the sunlight. Eddie met them in the lobby to grab a bit at a burger place down the street. The sun was high and the sky was big, blue, and clear from clouds. Eddie was talking about his story over Demon. She was excited that he included her interaction with the monster and added that they returned her turtle safely. By the time they finished eating and walked back to Eddie’s work, she nearly forgot about her hospital trip. He ruffled her hair before he went back into the window fortress, leaving her and her mother. But he wasn’t going to be long—he’ll come home that night there cozy apartment, Doctor Dan and Anne coming with a movie. Her small life and this big world… it was a lot for her.

When the night ended for her, she went to bed with her turtle. At the window, she looked out at the building across from her. On the other apartment, Lizzy saw them, the Demon. She carefully walked over to the window, opened it, and rested her elbow on the windowsill with Mr. Turtle next to her. All she could see was their shadow and glowing, pearly eyes. Lizzy gave them a friendly grin, waving to them. The monster waved back, their hand huge and fingertips sharper than knives.           

She found the steps and raced down, speeding, flying over each step. Her heart was thumping when she found ‘L Level’. For kicks, she reached for the door handle, but her hand went through. She ran through the door and raced across the floor. Luckily, there was a map in front of her. She took a quick glance and found the waiting room. It she knew any better, she would be guessing that the door from the apartment was leading her to her mother in the waiting room. Why was she there? Lizzy didn’t know or seemed to care. All she wants to see is her mother.

After running through a man in a wheelchair and passing through a woman kissing a doctor, Lizzy’s hand reached out for the door leading to the waiting room. To her surprise, the handle was cold. Tears of joy began to stream down her face as she burst opened the door, panting.

Her head looked wildly around the room and, standing with her back facing her at the coffee station, she saw her mother. Overfilled with joy, she shouted, “Mama!” tears falling faster than time.

Ms. Dawn’s shoulders jolt with surprise. Her head glance over at the voice as her hand dropped the coffee on the counter. There she was. Little Lizzy, her baby, running to meet her mother at the coffee station. “My baby!” She shouted, crouching down with her arms open. Lizzy’s little arms wrapped around her neck, crying. Ms. Dawn lifted her up her hands running through her hair. “My Lizzy!”

She heard two people coming over to her, a nurse and a doctor, but Lizzy held on tight to her mother. “Mama!” She sobbed.

“It’s going to be alright, Lizzy,” her mother hushed. She pulled away and brushed her hair lovingly. “You’re going to be okay.”

“Ms. Dawn?” A young girl came over with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and she is beautiful. “Is that Lizzy?”

“Yes, Jesse,” her mother said joyfully. “It is. Praise God, it’s Lizzy!”

Jesse gave them a relieved smile. “I’ll call Eddie.”

_Eddie?_

“Jesse Thompson!” She said joyfully. “Right?”

Jesse nodded her head. “Yep! That’s me,” she laughed happily. There was a boy walking behind her. He had short bright blonde hair, wore jeans, a dark blue shirt with a white stamp of the Liberty Bell on the front, and old tennis shoes. His eyes were a dazzling blue like the ocean.

Lizzy cowered back in her mother’s arms, whimpering, “Mama?”

“Hm?”

“That’s the man who took me, Mama,” she said low enough for her mother to hear. “Behind Jesse.”

Ms. Dawn looked at man and shook her head. “Honey, that’s not him. He’s been here all day.”

Lizzy felt her heart drop. “Who is that, then?”

“That’s Eugene,” she hummed. “I’ll introduce you to him.”

“But he looks like him,” she whined. As her mother moved closer to him, Lizzy noticed the difference between the two: this one had a large bruise around his neck. She gasped when more cuts and bruised appeared over his arms and hands.

He smiled at her, saying softly, “You must be Lizzy—”

“You’re hurt,” she said aloud, her eyes scanning his scars hurtfully. She looked up at him. “Someone hurted you.”

Ms. Dawn looked at him apological, mothing ‘I’m sorry’. He tried not to say anything to her mother. “I’m alright, kiddo—”

Lizzy scrambled off her mother then wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry that you’re hurt,” she said.

His arms hovered over her. She was about the height of his hips—a small human filled with too much love. He looked at Ms. Dawn to see if it was alright to hug her back, but he knew that he was calling the shots. He had her let go as he knelt down to hug her. His arms felt like Jell-O and limp, but he held her in a strong grip, holding her close to him.

They pulled away, but he stayed on his knee. “Your neck?” Her hand touched the bruise on the right side of neck. “What… what happened?” She felt scared for him, and she felt hurt.

His face fixed a frown. “A bad man, Lizzy,” he said. “But, I’m safe now.” He took her hand off his neck and held it. “Everything’s going to be okay.” He stood up, his shadow towering over her, reminding her of Mr. Flash.

“You look like him,” she said, holding her turtle close.

Flash raised a brow. “Like who?”

“The man who took me,” she said, a police officer pulling her mother aside to ask if they could question Lizzy. “Mr. Flash, that’s his name. He looks like you.”

 

On the third ring, Eddie made Venom answer the phone. Venom pealed back and let Eddie answer, saying, “This is Eddie Brock.”

“Eddie?” Jesse said on the other end. “Come back to the hospital—Lizzy’s back.”

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh happily. Looking for her wasn’t easy. The sun was gone, and it was harder for them to find her. Tracking each crime and known kidnapper in the area and eating two or three along the way, it was getting longer. With every passing minute, Eddie could feel Venom build up a murderous rage, and it was burning within them to the point where it was too hot for Eddie to handle. He never felt so much rage in his life before. It was _him_ who took her away. It was _him_ who wants to take Venom away. It was going to be Eddie who’ll take his life. He knew he could do it without Venom’s help. After all of this, Mr. Flash doesn’t deserve to walk away free and live in a cell where he couldn’t teleport. No. That didn’t feel right for him. Death felt right to use, and Eddie was the one who want—no, _needed_ to do it.

“That’s great!” Eddie said happily, landing on a roof top. “Are you still at the hospital?”

“Yes,” she said. “She’s here, Eddie.”

 ** _There is no time to lose, Eddie,_** Venom’s voice rumbled, their dark voice excited to see her again.

“We’ll be there. We’re about a block away!” He said as they ran towards the direction. “We’re coming!” He hung up as Venom took over again. _She’s back, V! She’s back!_

**“I know, but that mean the rat is still out there.”**

They swung between two buildings, the orange light illuminating off the pavement. It was a beautiful night for a little girl to be found. _I know,_ Eddie said. _So, we have to be careful about our next moves._

They didn’t waste time swinging to the hospital, and, along the way, they pumped into Peter coming back with Lasher.

“Hey!” Peter called, waving with a free hand.

 **“Lizzy’s back!”** Venom shouted as their arm hit another building.

“Really? That’s great!”

Lasher zipped between the two, letting out a **“Whoo-hoo!”** Letting go, they watched them do a front flip in the air, their legs shaping into a ‘V’, their left arm reaching for them, their right pointing behind them to catch the next building. They latched on to the next building with a thick green thread, flipping forward, swinging low to the ground, passing between cars and people, hoisting themselves up again, and letting go. Their arms and legs were bent, making their body look like a rectangle, and their graceful figure made Venom and Peter awe in wonder. When Lasher felt that they were falling again, they caught onto a corner of a building.

“Whoa,” Peter breathed next to Venom.

 _Holy shit,_ Eddie thought to Venom. That’s _your kid?_

They kept time with Spider-Man, grinning at Lasher’s freeness, gracefulness. **“Yes, Eddie,”** Venom said with a sparkle in their eyes as Lasher twirled like a log in the air, catching themselves, throwing themselves up to end in a perfect back-flip. **“That’s _our_ kid.”**

“Wowie,” Peter felt an amazed smile cross his face. “They’re amazing, Venom.”

 **“A perfect host for them to make a wonderful bond,”** Venom said, admiring the teamwork they showed as they crossed buildings and streets. **“What more is there to ask for a bond?”**

 _Maybe not to eat people heads off,_ Eddie grumbled. _Brush their teeth after eating people._

**_Shut up. We’re watching our kid like a proud parent._ **

Abigale pointed down at the street. _Look! We’re near the hospital, Lash!_

Lasher hummed. **“We see… we should text Mother and tell her we will be late for dinner.”**

 _Good call._ Abigale giggled as they leaped over cables, hearing a child gasp in awe at them. Seeing them, they smiled down—still hiding their teeth—and waved at the little girl as they caught themselves on the corner of the hospital. _Mother would be worried if we don’t check in._

As they landed on the roof of the hospital, Pater and Venom caught up with them within seconds. When they landed, Peter whipped off his mask, grinning ear-to-ear. “That was fantastic to watch, guys!” At that, Lasher felt it was a good time to bow. “I didn’t know you could move like that.”

Lasher shrugged as if it was no big deal, beaming. **“When we a moment like this, Abigale let’s me take over. I do enjoy performing for the street below.”** Underneath, Lasher felt her hugging him, he could see a proud smile on her face. **“She feels free when I do that.”** He felt her cheeks fill with warm blood, the feeling of her arms around him. Lasher is so glad he found her.

Venom slipped underneath, Eddie jogging pass, calling, “Come on!”

Both shrug as they followed behind Eddie. **“You’re still going to ask her out, right? Like, after you get out of your Halloween costume?”** Lasher asked as he began to slip under her skin.

“I will, I will,” he sung as they jogged down the steps. “I just hope it doesn’t blow up in my face.”

 

Eddie is no racer.

He’s never been a racer before and doesn’t plan on racing. He doesn’t like running much on his free time. He wanted to give himself a better chance of saving energy for Venom instead of wasting it on a joy run. No, with all that he’s done with running, it all went to Venom. When he did run, it was rare and special. In this case, Lizzy’s back. That’s something to run for.

He knew Peter had to stop at a bathroom to change out his outfit, but he didn’t want to wait. The quicker Eddie and Venom got to Lizzy, the faster they can start protecting her… and they wanted to take her to Purr-Fections. On their hunt for her, they were able to find the store. They knew that she would love to come with them—they know she would love this city. Anything that shines, she finds beautiful. How she found him lovely is beyond Eddie, but it doesn’t matter. Lizzy’s home.

When they finally hit the bottom steps, Venom didn’t waste time to head to the waiting room. Speeding pass nurses and doctors, passing waiters and watchers, they headed towards the waiting room. She must’ve been scared today, frighten about everything around her. It made them feel sick, and the knot twisted and build in their mind. Again, they felt regret of leaving her behind, but Eddie felt it more. They slowed their pace when they came up to the door, Eddie quickly fixing himself and Venom checking their hair, both wishing that they took a shower this morning.

Eddie opened the door and stood silently, his eyes lingering over heads and faces, searching for her face. Then they heard the sweetest voice in the room. “Mr. Brock!” Both of their faces brighten in a relieved, happy smile as they saw her waving at them. Lizzy leapt off the sofa next to Flash and rushed over to him.

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh in delight at her excited eyes. He met her half way, their arms opening up, his knees bending to match her height—

A sharp buzz rung in his ears, blurring Eddie’s eyes. Venom began to pull Eddie down, but there was _pain._ A _pain_ that bleed through his shirt and lungs. They felt their skin tearing behind in their back, breaking his bones and nerves. The twisting metal hit his left lung, the bullet twisting inside his body. He felt a rush of blood enter his lungs like a waterfall. Every nucleus in its cell exploded, firing off each molecule towards nerves, burning the branches and life. Eddie watched Lizzy’s eyes turn from excited to horror as her feet backed away from him. The ringing in his ears began to scream as he feel to the ground, hitting the marble floor hard.

As they fell to the floor, Ms. Dawn and Flash standing up, doctors and nurses scream and run away, police pull out their guns, Abigale and Peter about to enter the room, time slowed around Lizzy, Jesse, and, of course, Mr. Flash, who’s gun smoked. The floor started to shake then a loud _boom!_ Shook the building. Glass fell into the room like rain pouring from a broken gutter. Lights and ceiling tiles fell over heads and sitting people. Then a second explosion was across the street from them. Cars flipped, part of a building fell, and cars screamed and screeched on the roads. The world around them fell on one street, but time never passed for Lizzy, Mr. Flash, and Jesse.    

Lizzy backed away from him, her eyes frightfully fixed on her kidnaper. _No,_ she thought horrified to herself. _No, please!_

From across the room, Jesse stood with mixed feelings. The first feeling was fear of the shooter. The second was shock to see the shooter is wearing a gas mask. The third was anger for him shooting her uncle. Then confusion. Confusion over speed and time slowing around her. Confusion because she watched black threads spill out, wrapping around her uncle’s arms and chest. Confusion because her brother was moving slow, but she wasn’t. None of this made sense to her. She didn’t know what this was happening. Her eyes quickly scanned the room and found Lizzy and the strange man. Her anger built again, burning her mind and thoughts. Threatening a child while she’s around? Not on her watch.

Balling her hands into a fist, she went headfirst. At first, she didn’t what to do when she yanked Lizzy behind her until she threw her hands at the stranger. The first hit went across his mask, cracking the goggles. The second aimed in his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled backwards and raised his gun, his finger sliding over the smooth, black trigger—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post the next one later on today. I just wanted to build up the action.


	29. Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse Thompson is a strong girl, but how strong is she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to add more, but I like how it ends.

When he was little, his sister broke her arm falling off his bike. She cried and cried about her arm as he rode them home. Instead of her telling on him, she told that they missed a curved and she didn’t hold on tight enough. She could’ve told on him, but she didn’t.

On a vacation, he pushed her down the hallway to the breakfast room, giving her a rug burn. Instead of getting him back, she shared her pancake with him, hugging him tightly. She could’ve harmed him, but she didn’t. 

One time, he accidently spilled her red lip-gloss in the bathroom sink, and it was her favorite one. Instead of killing him, she playfully placed her fingers over the red glob and smeared it over his face, both ending up laughing. After them smearing the lip-gloss over each other’s faces, she laughed, saying, “Let’s go shopping for a new one at the mall. I heard the food court is serving _real_ food this week.” She could’ve hid his razors and shaving cream, but she didn’t.

When it a warm summer day, he thought that a diner was open and he dragged her along to find out it was closed. He thought she was going to say, “I told you so”, but she offered to go to another dinner that was nearby. He thought she got mad at him, but she didn’t.

The one that sticks out to him the most. It was a cool night when the leaves feel on the streams and lakes. He was walking home that night—this was the time where he had Venom—and they talked about him making a ham sandwich when they get home. Down the street, they watched two cars pass each other. It was a peaceful night for a walk, and it felt right to be together. As they turned on his sister’s street, like they normally do. The lights weren’t on, but someone was home. They watched the shadow dart from window-to-window behind the white curtains. Mr. Flash smiled to himself, thinking nothing of it as they walked passes her home. They were two houses down when they heard two firing shots from her home. Their blood froze as they turned on their heels, Venom wrapping around his arms, turning into a jacket.

He raced up the concrete steps as Venom dressed their black boots, cursing to himself. The busted the door opened with their shoulder, the glass braking as it rained on the floor. Their boots crunched over it as they raced into her living room. Standing in the center of the room was her husband, the gun in his mouth. Before Venom could reach him, he already pulled the trigger, falling to the ground. Their eyes searched quickly around the room and found Jesse laying on the floor, struggling to breath.

In a second, he was by her side, holding her up. There was no way he could save her—him, Venom, nor the police who were on their way. She could’ve yelled at him, asking him why didn’t he come faster? She could’ve said anything to him, blaming or yelling, but she didn’t. Instead, she asked him, “Why are you crying?” They both laughed until she began to cry.

In her last dying breaths, they held her hand, and Venom was quickly introduced. She smiled at them both, her hand loosening, letting go. When her heart of gold rusted away, Mr. Flash went with her.

She could’ve told him off, but she didn’t… and he never understood why until he was on the other end of the gun, his finger about to pull back the trigger. Suddenly, his arm jerked the other way, shooting the wall behind her. Jesse turned her back, shielding Lizzy as the young girl let out a sharp scream. He was more frighten than she was. He shot at Jesse! There was a bullet intended for her, about to meet the same end as his Jesse did.

Acting fast, taking her by the arm, them moving through time back to a different place, a different part in New York, she pushed away and kept Lizzy behind her. Her eyes were shocked, her body trembling as she stared at him. Her legs lunged at him only to hit a wall of glass. Her eyes grew painfully cold.

“Bet you feel powerful, huh?” She snapped. Her eyes were knives. “Hiding behind your own walls.” She scoffed at him as if he was a reflection in a broken mirror. “You can’t even look at me with your own eyes.”

He didn’t say anything as he turned to leave.

“You’re a coward!” She yells, slamming her hands on the glass. “You hear me? A coward!” His feet came to a halt as he listened to her voice. “If you’re any more than a man as you are a coward, you would show yourself and stop playing game!” She was speaking fast, her anger boiling, building under her skin. He felt her blows under his mask, his hands balling into a fist. “I hope you’re _proud_ of your actions. I hope you find this better than any wild dreams!” Her words were sharp against his ears and on his skin. He want to move away from her words, from her voice, and from the truth. “I bet your _family’s_ proud you’re doing this—”

Spinning on his heels, he headed towards the glass. His hand slipped over his mask and ripped off his mask, throwing it to the side. When their eyes met, her face stayed cold, her chest filled with flames and roaring oceans, and her eyes sparkled and circled in stars. He didn’t know what to say to her, and he wasn’t planning on her saying anything. They stared at each, each one breathing heavily. She was just as angry with him as he was to her.

Her lips curled. “So, the truth comes out, huh?” Her voice was sweet and bitter. Jesse wasn’t in shock. She didn’t want to show that she was. This is not her brother. It looks like him, sounds like him, but it’s not him. Her brother would never do something like this. This one kills people. Her brother does not kill people. She cocked an eye. “My brother doesn’t kill people. He doesn’t use others as his personal puppets!”  

He said nothing his fist tightens.

“If you’re anything like my Eugene—”

“I am _nothing_ like him—” He grunted through his teeth.

“—he wouldn’t be hiding behind a _fucking_ wall or try to hurt women, including little ten-year-olds!—”

 He didn’t mean to throw his fist through the boarder. He didn’t mean to land a blow on the left side of her nose, drawing blood in the process. She followed the blow, and she felt her cervical cracking and snapping. She fell to the floor, her face landing hard on the concrete. Her hands tucked under her as she landed on the cold floor, and she felt her knees scrap on the floor. Her eyes glared up at him, the sparks turning into an icy storm. Outside, thunder rumbled, shaking the building.

She lifted herself like a phoenix, her hands lifting her up, her feet steady and strong, her eyes changing from the soft blue to a strong hazel yellow. She could feel her skin burning, but she didn’t break a sweat. She felt her blood pumping in her ears and it echoed in crackling flames, but she didn’t feel the heat. Her shoulders rolled, and an outlining of golden red flames burnin bright behind her.

Enough.

Jesse Thompson had enough.

There’s so much fight that one girl can hold in her blood. She’s been thrown into walls and windows, breaking every bone possible to make it to the top—there so much pain one can take to explode. The calm and collectiveness of Jesse Thompson was breaking at the seams, tearing her skin apart until the storm was uncontrollable. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, swimming with her head in the water for too long, and she reached the top without a medal. She bottled up enough fire to burn brighter than the sun. Her strength of keeping her rage and anger at bay finally broke. The dame overfilled and broke at the weight of the world, and it was ripping the town in half! Fire burns in every girl, and it’s up to the forces of nature to ignite the flames. With enough pressure, there can be a good enough reaction. The reaction can take out a town, city, state—and this pressure just exploded a world.

Jesse Thompson had enough.

Enough.  

Without breaking her eyes, she wiped her nose with her wrist, smearing the blood on her upper lip and stained her wrist red. She raised her fist, her feet going into a ready stance. Flames build behind her yellow eyes and looked like golden leaves, powerful and strong. “Is that all you got?”

Lizzy backed-up to the wall, her hands feeling around her. She watched small flames dance on Jesse’s arms. On Jesse’s back, the flames outlined wings. Jesse was strong. Bold would be a better word. She looked so beautiful. The flames on her skin danced and climbed, but she didn’t feel the heat near her. Her fire wasn’t burning her skin—Jesse didn’t feel anything. She didn’t look like she was in pain from the flames, and the cracking fire didn’t seem to bother.

This is not what he expected. He expected her to have something different locked inside her. He didn’t know how strong she really was. He always remembered her as a soft and gentle girl, always thinking of others before her. She’s changing. He sparked it and she’s changing! He thought that she didn’t have wings like Lizzy, let alone _fire_. He never knew how much strength she had building inside her. He didn't know how much she was holding in. Of course, this isn't his Jesse, but they should be almost the same! But, this Jesse, is made of fire and brimstone, ambers and gold, power and death. She holds a flame in blood and eyes, and that made her dangerous. Mr. Flash was able to push her to her breaking point, unlocking her mind and powers. He guessed that she was made of something else like a galaxy or stars, but he got fire instead. Fire. Mother Nature's most destructive force created by man. He was a man. He drove a force so powerful to its breaking point. 

This, all of this and whatever comes after, will be his fault. 

Jesse was beyond mercy. She was beyond the point of no return. There is no way she was going to let a man-a  _coward_ tell her what to do. Her father did taught her that. Her mother showed her how not to act. Hid behind a man for protection- _please!_ Jesse plans on taking his head and shoving it up his ass because he thought it was an 'okay move' to hit her. No, no... that was a move that signed his death ticket. She rolled her shoulders, cracking them in the process. 

“Jesse,” he breathed. He felt himself back up from her. She is more powerful than him. Jesse could easily kill him with one hit. “You do not want to do this—”

“Name a time when I listened to you.” She threw her a right hook through the wall, and Lizzy heard his nose braking under the blow. She saw his shadow stumbled backwards in shock. “Liz, sweetie,” Jesse said as her voice relaxed. “Find a way out so we can get back to your mother. I’ll buy time.”

Her body was dressed under a cloak of black flames when she stepped out of the glass wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no clue how I wrote this chapter. All I remember was Fallout Boy and me jamming to Set It Off's "Unopened Windows". I can't tell you what happened in between.


	30. Meanwhile...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos at the hospital leads to them acting.

As soon he left with the girls, time sped up again.  

Eddie hit the floor as Venom wrapped under his shirt, stopping the blood. Nurses and doctors rushed around the room to other clients, and police officers stood confused at the missing man. Eddie felt the bullet twist and melt from his wound, landing on the floor next to him. Slowly, he sat up from the floor. He didn’t rush when he stood up because the room was spinning faster than the rides at Cony Island. He never went to Cony Island, but this felt like a ride. He saw Flash rush over to him. He looked pale, and Eddie could see him about to throw-up.  

Flash helped him up from the floor and wildly checked his chest. “Where’s the bullet hole?” Then he hissed lowly, “Did Venom heal you?”

Eddie pated his own chest down, checking it. “I guess.”

“Can…can they heal others?"

“Have to wait to heal up before he gets passed around.” Eddie looked at the chaos happening. He was in the middle of it, seeing it all unfold in front of his eyes.

Behind him, Peter and Abigale enter, jogging to be at Eddie’s side. “What happened?” Peter asked. He looked around the room then at Eddie. “Where is Jesse?”

“Peter, use your eyes, buddy. She right—” He turned his body and pointed at her spot. He stared as he stopped in mid-sentence. His eyes darted from corner to corner in the back then to the front where they were. Maybe she was hiding Lizzy? No, no—she would’ve put up a fight with the guy. She’s good at fighting. He taught her how to fight if he wasn’t there to protect her. Example? Friday night. “Where is she?” He looked back at the group. “Where is Jesse?”

“Lizzy?” Ms. Dawn suddenly cried over the crowd. “Lizzy? Lizzy!” Eddie pushed through the group and met Ms. Dawn in the sea of chaos. Her eyes scanned the room, her head spinning wildly. “Where is she, Eddie?” She suddenly stopped looking and fell backwards. Eddie caught her as she yelled. “That bastard took her, again!”

Eddie head shot up when he heard Peter called, “Flash!” When he looked over, Flash was on his knees as his hand grasped Peter’s arm.

“Hold on, Ms. Dawn,” Eddie said as he sat her down on a chair. He jogged back, their hand out stretched just in time to catch Flash’s head from hitting the floor. “Flash?” Eddie tried to left him back up, but Flash wasn’t help. “Kid?” He suddenly panicked. “Eugene, don’t you dare—”

Flash’s hands grasped his sweatshirt. Eddie could feel his warm breath through the fabric. “Eddie,” he breathed in a panic. “Eddie. I—I can’t—I” He let out a sharp gasp.

 _Fuck!_ They felt hopeless. Venom can’t leave yet… not now. The tissue is almost done. Almost is never enough.

Peter’s head snapped around the room, his eyes watching the horror film unfold. Doctors and nurses were hurrying and rushing to new comers. They were coming in by the numbers covered in dust, blood, or people helping others by carrying them in. So many people… so many things that could’ve been done happened. Doctors and nurses taking people in by numbers, too busy to help them. Peter saw one take Ms. Dawn to a room to calm herself down, but none came to them or noticed them. _There’s no way he can get help now._

 ** _Have a plan,_** Lasher said to Abigale. **_But I want to know if you are okay with it._**

The headphones didn’t cover her ears. She didn’t want to hear the world. She want to curl up in a ball and not say anything. She wished she went home… but her best friend is missing. _What is it?_

**_We can help him._ **

She scrunched her nose. _How?_

**_Just trust me, okay?_ **

Her eyes studied Flash. He looked like he as if there was a hand around his throat. A fish out of water. She didn’t understand—he was perfectly fine a moment ago. How could he start up like this? Most importantly, what happened here? Where was her best friend? Where was Ms. Dawn’s daughter? Why are people running in the streets? Why was there a car on fire?

 _Because the other Flash came._ She answered herself. _He did all of this._ Abigale looked down at Flash again then bit her lower lip. _I trust you,_ she said nervously. _But don’t make me do anything that’ll come back and hit us._  

Without showing himself, Lasher took over her hands and legs. They walked carefully towards Eddie and crouched to the ground.

**_You’re going to hate this... so much._ **

Her brows feel. _Why?_

All she did was blink.

One moment she’s looking at Eddie, the next she knew it, she is staring into Flash eyes. Both of them were shock at first as she felt Lasher slither over her cheeks to his. He gave her a questionable look, and she shrugged helplessly. Her mind was screaming, her cheeks flushed a hot red, and she felt like she was going to explode. She tried to pull back, but Lasher didn’t let her budge.

 ** _Not yet,_** Lasher said in a monotone voice.

 _Holy hell!_ Hearing Flash’s voice was enough to make her jolt back. _What the hell!?_

Her eyes widen when she heard Flash’s voice. _This is not my idea!_

 _Abigale!?_ Flash couldn’t believe this. She has something like Eddie, but it was green and felt colder than Venom. _You have a voice?_

Her cheeks were as red as a fire engine. _I’m sorry!_  

 ** _Relax, both of you._** Lasher groaned. **_Enjoy this moment for a second or two._** Flash felt the cold, green slime climb around his throat and his lungs. **_Just need to stable you._**

_‘Stable’!?_

Abigale flinched her eyes. _Don’t shout. It hurts my head._

“What are you—?” Eddie’s eyes grew as they watched the two. _What the fuck?_

He saw Venom shrug. **_I do not know, Eddie._**

 ** _Re-freaking-lax, you two!_** Lasher grumbled in frustration as he reopened his right lung.

 _Lasher!_ She whined, tears burning her eyes. She wasn’t enjoying this; he was right. She hated this. She hated everything about this.

**_Almost done._ **

Flash felt his heartbeat slow and relax to normal, and Abigale could feel his blood streaming though his lips. He felt Lasher creep away from his lungs and starting to climb up. Lasher stopped then went back down again. _Why did you turn around?_

**_Because I think I found something._ **

_Can I go?_ Abigale was crying in embarrassment. _Please?_

**_Yes. I’m apart of him—_ **

She pushed Flash away from her as her eyes burned. She didn’t wait for Lasher to finish. She quickly rubbed her eyes and gathered herself again. A dick move. A Big Dick Move. She wiped her lips with her wrist. Why didn’t Lasher worn her about that? She would’ve been okay with it and could’ve enjoyed the kiss! She was under the thumb of screaming. She made herself stop and allowed her mind to gather her thoughts—

The building shook after a third explosion. The ceiling over them shook and titles fell from overhead. Eddie hooked Peter with their arm and tucked them under them. Venom made a shield over them, stopping wires, lights, and fallen metal.

“That sum-of-a-bitch did this,” Eddie cursed under his breath as he felt the bullet hole ripped. “We’re killing him. I swear!”

Peter’s heart was racing a mile a minute. Everything was happening too fast. New York needs their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and May Parker needs her nephew Peter Parker. Peter Parker needs to go home and start his homework for Monday—he needs to write that paper and make the battery for the lights and… and…

Suddenly, Peter’s hands touched the ruble beside him. “I will gladly help you with that.” It was dark under Venom, and they heard more screams and another explosion. “Wait, what about Ms. Dawn?”

Eddie’s heart stopped. “Shit! V, we gotta—”

The floor over them collapse. Venom took over and hugged their arms around the group. The weight over them pressed down on their back, but they kept the walls up from caving in. They thought about everything that was happening. They thought about Ms. Dawn, who was in another room. Then they thought about Jesse, their niece, who might’ve been scared to death of this situation. They thought about Mr. Russo, who should be home with his cat, but they couldn’t tell. They thought about Peter and Abigale. They should’ve never been here. They should’ve went home or started building that device to slow down Mr. Flash, but they came back. Then they saw Lizzy’s smile in the hospital, and her hopeful eyes looking at him. Eddie remember grinning when he heard her—

Then he saw Jason in the hospital bed, trying to hold on but slipping too fast. They felt his hand in theirs again. His voice talking about Eddie’s eyes, and his last words saying that his eyes were beautiful. Just… beautiful. Jason didn’t deserve to die because of them. He should be alive! Helping his neighbor hood right now! He should be helping his team with the evacuation of the area. Jason should be planning his next night with his cat, or getting a date, or pulling over a car, or making jokes with his pales. Or getting to know Eddie a bit better. Jason should be alive. Living, breathing—alive.

Grunting, Venom lifted their back and pushed the rocks and ruble off, Flash grasping Abigale’s hand to allow Lasher to travel across and took over in a snap. Both stood and watched people hurry in the room, not noticing them.

Venom looked down at Peter and Flash, pointing at both. **“You two find Ms. Dawn and go home.”** Then pointed at Lasher. **“Meet Spider-Man on the roof. We are not waiting for him anymore.”**

 **“Got it!”** They jumped out of the nest of rocks and jogged to a broken window. **“We’ll start building it until he gets there!”** With that, green threads lifted them off the ground, heading to the roof top. A group of kids—five boys and two girls—saw Lasher leave the hospital. One girl with black hair and honey touched skin pointed at them as they left.

“Wait, Venom!” Peter called as they started to leave. They stopped and looked back at them, nodding that they’ll be fine. “Please don’t die.” They gave him a thumb up as they left through the broken window, a woman pointing and screaming at them as they left. Peter looked at Flash then asked, “So… he was Venom the whole time?” He tried to acted like he didn’t know anything. “How?”

Flash shrugged as he jogged passed him and headed to the back rooms. “Don’t be so shocked, Pete. Who else is crazy enough to climb up a rock in Sans Francisco?” He looked over his shoulder and beckoned him to follow. “Let’s get Ms. Dawn and get the Hell outta here, Pete. We’re taking up space being here.”

Peter nodded his head as he came to his side. Peter dug into his pocket to find his apartment keys, knowing that he can’t stay with them. That device must be built and used today. He wasn’t going to waste time and energy on anything else. Mr. Flash took this game too far, and, now that he has the two girls—he’s assuming the Bird and the Crow—all he needs next is Venom. He’s either going to rip it out of Eddie’s body or kill Eddie. The last that Peter knew, Eddie and Jesse are the only family that Flash has. It’s up to him—Spider-Man—to protect them for Flash. Differences aside along with the bullying, he is going to bring them home. He’s bringing Lizzy home for Ms. Dawn. There is no way that he’s going to fail today.

He placed the golden key in Flash’s palm. “I’ll meet you there.”

“Peter, don’t—”

“Take the back-streets home and stay there.”

As Peter turned to leave him, Flash caught his hand, saying, “I already lost my parents, my sister’s missing, and my uncle’s going to fight some crazy fuck,” Peter locked eyes with broken glass eyes, “I cannot lose you, too. You’re aunt needs you home like I need you to stay.”

Peter stepped towards him, his eyes glowing confusion. “What are you saying, Flash?”

“You know what I’m saying,” Flash said quickly. He pulled him aside for nurses and doctors to rush pass. Speaking in a hushed voice, he said, “My sister, okay? Jesse? Yeah, she loves you more than that Korean boy band! You bring her happiness, and I never see her so happy until she’s around you.” Flash looked around nervously. “If anything should happen to you, and she comes back and _learns_ about it, Peter—she’ll burn this whole city to the ground looking for the bad guy!” 

He's not joking. 

Jesse is good at starting fires. 

Peter stepped away from him, shaking his head. “I’ll be fine, Flash.” He started jumping as he jogged away. “Take the back streets home! I’ll be there! Promise!”

Flash wanted to follow the punk, but he didn’t his legs didn’t move fast enough to follow him. There was a tug in the back of his mind telling him not to follow. He swallowed hard. “Okay, Pete,” he said as he stepped away from the side. “I’ll do that.”

He turned to find Ms. Dawn.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on ending the book soon. I just don't know how to end it, though. 
> 
> Any thoughts?


	31. *Not A Chapter

Hello everyone! :3  
So, this is what's happening: I'm not going to post any more chapters until the book is done. I've finished chapters 31-35, but I want this story to end. I'll finish the story and post the rest soon.   
I really hope that you're not upset or disappointed in any way. I just want to finish this so I can work on another one about Jason and Eddie, or I can write something else. 

Thank you for understanding,  
#1120


	32. City of Dust

“Okay, this is what I know,” Lizzy was speaking to herself as she paced the small section of the room. “Jesse has fire powers and can walk through the wall. I have time travel abilities—pretty cool—so,” she placed her hand on the wall and scrunched her nose, “why can’t I?”

Lizzy figured out that she only could travel if there is a door and a person in mind. That’s how she can get into the void lope. She doesn’t know the rest. She looked behind her again. Nothing to use to draw a door on the wall, not that it would work, nor windows to get out. And, if there was a window, what would she do? Climb down? Lizzy doesn’t even know how to climb a tree! What makes her think—or anyone think—that she could do that!?

“Oh, blind me!” She rolled her eyes in frustration. She didn’t have Mr. Turtle to help her. “There has to be a way out of this place!” She looked at the opened doorway and watched shadows and body fight. There was a moment where she saw Jesse shoot fire out of her hands then jumping over him to land a punch. She saw bits and pieces of the fight, and Jesse is winning with a bloody nose and cut on her brow. She was throwing punches at him, and she was putting up a good fight.

Mr. Flash and she were in the other room in front of the door, and his lower lip cut open and a large bruise on his throat. In his right hand, his knife swung at her, but she dodged, took his arm, and snapped it down. In her room, Lizzy could hear a bone snapping.

 _Holy cow!_ Lizzy covered her mouth with her hands. _She’s strong!_

Lizzy watched Mr. Flash push Jesse back, and he followed, disappearing from the door. Then Lizzy looked back at her corner of the room. There was nothing to help her. She didn’t even know where she was! That’s not going to stop her. Cracking her fingers, she felt her determination grew. If she was able to stick her hand out a window, run through people and solid doors, maybe—just maybe—she can go through concrete. She believes in herself, as she stands tall in the center of her small room. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her mind. She thought of the cool night outside the building. She imagined a breeze against her dark skin and the new leaves. She listened to a bird saying “good-night” to a passing couple, and a car whizzing pass to go home. Lizzy smiled at the smell of new flowers and fresh pie in a home. The glow of the moon is in her smile, and the beams lifted dreams and followers of the night.

Smoothly and carefully, her feet fell through the floor. She raised her arms straight in the air as she fell through. Her body suddenly stopped, and her body hovered over the floor. She looked around curiously at the room. There were windows, lots of windows. Coper wires hung from the ceiling, metal bars laid on the floor. Both steel and concrete beams held up the floor above her. There were at least twenty of them in a line of on each side—ten on the left, ten on the right, dividing the room into thirds. The hall is chipped in white and black paint. Her body floated to a broken window and looked out. The city below and around had a cloud of dust hanging over the streets and people. From a quick guess, she concluded that Mr. Flash did this. Glancing up and down the street, she also concluded that she is at least twelve buildings from the hospital.

Lizzy bit her lower lip and hummed, “How can I get help? Hmm? Would shouting do it? Will anyone hear me?” She tried, cuffing her hands together and shouted at the top of her lungs.

The only thing that responded were birds and a screeching car. She crossed her arms in frustration. “Well, this sucks!” She pouted, the upper corned rising, scrunching her nose. _But I will not give up!_

 “Okay, Liz,” she said to herself. “What else could I try?” She touched the jacket around her. “Can’t throw this. No one will notice.”

Then an idea—a bright idea lit like a light bulb. The Demon as a nose like a dog; she remembers her conversation with Eddie about them when he was doing a story over them. Dogs remember smells, so, The Demon should remember her smell when they met at the robbery. It makes sense to a seconded grader, and it sounds logical when she thought out loud.  She nodded in approval of her thinking, proud that she thought of this. Even if she didn’t think of this, Lizzy will still find a way out.

 Rolling up her sleeve, she stuck her hand out of the window and waited for something to happen. _This is going to take a while._

She looked to the left then to the right. Huffing, she said, “I’m bored.” Her eyes linger over  the city and to the water. In the sky, she saw fragments of little twinkling stars. “But, that’s a pretty sky.”

 

Above her, Jesse land a fierier punch across his face. He stumbled back and slammed into the wall, breathing heavily. He spat blood to the left of him, tasting the iron in his mouth, noticing how salty it rolling off his tongue.

“You punch pretty well,” he breathed. Mr. Flash was impressed that this Jesse could fight. “You… you got a lot of power.” He pushed himself off the wall, his right shoulder hanging. He knows it’s broken, he knows she can do it again to the other arm. “Is there any possible way we can talk this out?” He wheezed. “Like, any?”

Her answer was a swift kick in the chest, which was strong enough to send him through the wall and on his back on the other side. Her flames fell under her skin, dying in flickering lights. With her anger satisfied, Jesse pushed her hair back and cracked her fingers. Her strength fall behind her blood and fade away. Her breathing was heavy and warm, but she came in control again and felt normal. She stepped over the ruble into the other room and stood over him.

Jesse bit her lower lip. “You know,” she sung to herself, “You two have the same cut over the right brow.” She cocked her head to the side. “Was your Dad like mine? Or ours?”

His eyes were shut, and his head spun. Every time he opened his eyes, he saw black stars. “Yeah,” he groaned. “A spitting image.”

The more she looked at him and examined his body, she did a beating, a Real Beating, on him. She lashed out her anger on him, but Jesse felt that it was right. Hopefully. “I don’t know much about alternate universes,” she said crouching down, feeling confident that he wouldn’t hurt her. “But aren’t you suppose to look like my Eugene? You look a bit older.”

“I’ll have you know that I shaved this morning,” his head was banging against his skull. “When the Hell did you learn to fight like that?”

She shrugged. “My Eugene taught me, um, Eugene Two? Didn’t you teach her?”

He shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

“Wow,” she said. She felt a bit shocked that he didn’t. “So, I’m assuming that you never thought it was possible for me—or us—to kick ass?”

He shook his head. “Shit, girl—I didn’t know you can kick.”

“I _am_ a boss,” she said, shrugging. “He taught me how to, Dad did.” She stood up and began to leave to find Lizzy. When she was ten or fifteen steps ahead of him, she heard his feet lifting himself up.

“I can’t let you leave,” he said. His left hand began to fade, jumping in fragments and squares. “You have to stay.”

She stood halfway and shook her head. Jesse studied him closer. “Don’t you have me? Another like me? Jesse?” When he said nothing, she hugged an arm. “Why are we really here, Flash?”

_Flash._

He hasn’t heard her—Jesse—say his nickname in a long time. He hasn’t heard her voice since that fateful night. He only acted today. Taking the path. She’s smart. Hell, she’s smarter than both Flashes and any box of rocks. Funny—even though she beat him to a stand, she still looked so kind and gentle to anyone. His face softened as his arm stopped moving. If he told her, she’ll reason with him because that’s what she does. She finds better alternate reasons to solve something. If he doesn’t tell her, she’ll force it out or find out at the end.

“You know how there’s this… balance, right? And some bodies need to have something in them to be stable?” He felt the air around him, buzzing pass him fast. It felt like knives in his skin as his chest beat against his heart.

Jesse is the ocean under a skin of broken, yet beautiful, shells. Her head is made of sharp rocks and edges. The waves during a storm crash against the rocks, holding her at her feet. The wind is within her lungs. The harder she works or over works, the calm winds turn into a tornado. The softer her day is, the better the wind is. Her eyes shimmering off the water shines a light from a lighthouse. From her railing on the top, she can see the storms and ships out in the bay, guiding them home. Her arms and legs moved with the ocean, rocking back and forth for ships and waves. Her arms are strong, which makes her waves crash harder than anything does. Her heart is at the bottom of the sea, sunken treasure with gold coins and rows of pearls. If Mr. Flash would close his eyes, he could remember her, his Jesse, smiling at him on a beach. She was smiling at him… why was she smiling at him?

“Flash,” she said again. “Whatever you need from us, there can be a different way.” The lighthouse eyes glowed in a soft golden ray. “There’s always a different way to balance things.” He felt his left arm fade in and out again, changing into shades of red, green, and blue. His neck twitched violently, cracking the bones and his shoulders. Jesse could hear the snap from where she stood. She stepped away from him again. _Gotta find Lizzy. Hopefully she found a way out._

**__ **

**_ Meanwhile:  _ **

Lizzy rests her head on in the other hand, signing dramatically. She looks to her left again then to her right. Her arm has been hanging out over the street for a while, but she is determined that it’ll work. Like the child she is, she yells, “I’m so, _freaking_ , bored!” Sighing for an extra dramatic affect for the birds next to her.

 

Jesse laughed to herself when she imagined Lizzy away from this hell. “Which brings me to me next thing,” her voice cared throughout the hall, watching Mr. Flash twitching—or… _glitching?_ “What do you want with Lizzy? She’s only a child, Flash. A harmless kid with the world at her feet.” She rolled her eyes in disbelief that he wanted to harm her. “She just a…” she glanced around the room. He was nowhere to be seen, and she didn’t hear him move or run-a-way. Her eyes lingered around the room in front of her. A sick, twisting knot tangled in her stomach and it wrapped itself around her brain. “Kid?” She felt her heart quicken in pace. “Flash?” She called as she began to panic. _He’s gone._

Turning to race out of the building, Jesse was in Mr. Flash’s face. Her mouth opened to let out a scream, but his right arm—the broken one—snapped up quickly to cover her mouth as his left hand quickly jabbed into her side—

 

Suddenly, Flash stopped in the middle of the chaos in the street with Ms. Dawn meeting up with someone from the military. He didn’t hear the conversation; their lips were moving, but he didn’t hear a thing. He didn’t understand the words, hear the echoing screams next to him, or followed the orders from a police officer in front of him. He didn’t move when a group of paramedics rushed passed him, nor did he seem to twitch when Spider-Man was yelling at him “get out of the streets!” as glass exploded behind him, Ms. Dawn ducking under the arms of the military captain, then her going back into command.

No, he didn’t feel the glass shattering at his feet, and he didn’t feel the fragments of broken stars hitting his skin. He looked forward in the cloud of dust, sparks, and broken dreams at a building. A abandon, broken building down the road with broken windows and crumbling floors with levels and rows of stares and forgotten offices. He saw the building and followed his gut. He started walking at first, unsure if he was thinking right. Then his pace began to quicken as his confidence flew on the back of an eagle’s wings. His feet picked up dirt and dust as his jog turned into a sprint. He couldn’t hear Ms. Dawn call after him to stop. No. He didn’t stop as he ran down the street, following the casted shadows of the night to the broken building. Flash sprint through the ruble and the dust while overhead, Venom watched him. They cocked their head curiously as Flash ran passed groups of people.

_Where is he going?_

Venom shrugged. **“Don’t know.”**

Their eyes followed down the street then at the buildings around, but the one stood out. There was an old building with broken window; it looks like it’ll fall soon. They hummed a question, but their thoughts drifted to a smell, a sweet small. At first, the smell was soft and unnoticeable, then the smell grew stronger sweeter by the wind. Their head us up, smelling the air around them. _Strawberries,_ Eddie felt focused on the broken building.

 **“Lizzy,”** Venom breathed. Their eyes squinted at the building. Leaping over the side streets, they started their way towards the broken building, following Flash.

From a block or two behind, Spider-Man saw Venom move. He squinted his eyes and followed their path once he heard Iron Man land down.

“Wait, kid!” He called after him, but Peter left without a word.

 _Abigale is smart enough to build the device,_ he thought hopefully to himself. _She’s a smart girl._

Moreover, he is right to think that because—from across town—Lasher is letting her work on the machine. Abigale lost her patience after the third explosion. That’s when she knew that the machine needs to be built and fast. For a painter and an artist, building something like this felt easy because the parts fit perfectly with each. Lasher helps lift heavy parts for her or hold them when she’s figuring out what goes with what.   

Shutting his eyes, Peter called, _Hey!_ To his surprise, Venom looked back as they continued to move. _You’re going to need help!_

Venom didn’t say anything as they and their host landed on a roof top, two towers away from the building. Shutting their eyes, lifting their head, Venom sniffed the air around them. **_The smell is coming from one of the top floors._**

Peter was by his side. The full moon over them casted their shadows on the floor. “What smell?”

 **“Lizzy** ’s sent,” Their voice slid smoothly and easily, Venom unfolding behind their ears as their black inky body stayed. Their eyes focus on the building. “They’re somewhere in there,” they pointed with a sharp claw. “Where Lizzy is, Jesse should be close.” Peter saw a spark of determination in their eyes, steady and focus. Eddie glanced down at Peter, his face relaxing. “We are not leaving without the two, Peter.”

Peter nodded, say, “I can swing in around back and—”

“No,” Eddie cut him off. He didn’t mean to sound so sharp about it. “We need you to go help Abigale. The more hands working on that, the faster and better chance we have at beating this punk.”

Peter raised his mask showing his eyes. “But, Eddie—”

“Peter, we need you to help them. You know more about stuff like that… maybe better than you think.” They faced Peter and placed a hand on his shoulder, “You’re more help there. Once you get that thing up and moving, you come back and help me take him down. This _is_ your city. You have the right to take him in,” they tried to give a promising grin. “Understand?”

“Understand,” Peter answered as he looked at the building. Jesse is there somewhere. He wants to help get her back. He wants to help them take him down… he wants to be needed by another hero. He looked back at Eddie, who had a glimmer in their eyes. Even if they are hunting for them, Eddie and Venom understood them more than the Avengers. “Just… don’t break the law,” Peter gave a joking grin.

Eddie rolled their shoulders as Venom curled over his head. **“We will not promise you, Spider.”** the way they said ‘Spider’, it made Peter shiver and fell uneasy.

The moon raised over the city and dust clouds. By the time the cloud settles, Flash will be on the fifth floor, gunning for his sister.


	33. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Venom is a parent.

Jesse’s been hit with a metal baseball bat once. Her mother did it to her when she was drink; it was in her stomach, but it was hard enough to make her cry. Eugene protected her from everything and anything that crossed her path. Bullies? Took care of them. A bad boyfriend? Gone the next day with no fuss or muss. Her father and mother? Eugene is a human shield— _her_ human shield. Form their father, he turned into a bully, a bad one where people fear him, but why be afraid of a man who spends his dreams in a butterfly room? That’s her brother. That’s her life right there. She took every pain in the world, but never in her dreams has she felt a sharp pain in her side like the knife and the muffled scream in the other’s mouth.

Her eyes widen in terror when the cold blade cut her skin, digging into her diaphragm. She pushed away from him, falling on her back, a hand falling over the wound. She scoot away from him, her flames returning as a shield. Jesse’s not going to die here. There are better ways to die and it’s not here. She wasn’t sure if she could defined herself, but she is going to try. Trying isn’t a bad idea.

“Look, listened,” Mr. Flash started uneasily. “I need you to do me something, and I can’t back out of it, Jesse.” His broken shoulder faded and twitched, glitching until a _snap_ from his shoulder back in place. He returned the knife to his right hand, licking his lips uncertainly.

_Why does he look so nervous?_ She thought to herself, her flames climbing higher around her. _How come I’m not healing? Can I heal is a good question?_

“I’m so sorry it has to come to this,” he said, his arm throwing down her—

A quick blur passed her, knocking him to the ground. The tumbled and rolled on the ground until they came to a stop. Her hero threw the Other Flash off and hurried to her side. A delighted smile crossed her lips as her Eugene lifted her off the floor. “U-e!” She said as he carried away.

“Please don’t call me that,” he said, jokingly. “It sounds like ‘uwu’.” He glanced at her arms then at her. “Why are you in flames?”

She shrugged. “I really don’t know, bro, but I’m so happy to see you!”

He found a spare room along the halls. He entered quickly, kicking the door behind him. The room was an old office, and there was an old desk in the far left corner. He placed her on the desk then looked at her lower side. “I’m going to kill them,” Flash muttered.

“I know,” she said. Her bright orange flames changed to a dark purple. Her eyes examined her arms questionably. “What the?” A sharp and wild smell of raw flesh floated in the room, and smoke raised from her wound. In her ears, she heard tissue and muscles around her diaphragm sew themselves together, growing and regrowing, laying around itself before she stopped bleeding. A dark red stain stayed over the wound.

Both looked at the spot in awe. Raising their head, they looked at each other and breathed, “Whoa.”

“How did you _do_ that?” Flash asked, his eyes widening at the missing mark.

“How did you get here so fast, Eugene?” If she was remembering correctly, he was at the hospital. “Are we that close?”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t matter, sis. I’m more concerned about the fire under your skin.”

She shrugged. “I… I don’t know.” The purple flames around faded under her skin. “I just learned about this, like, minutes ago.” Jesse shrugged then pushed herself off the desk. “What should we do next?”

Flash slide his hands up and down his pants. He does this under stressful moments and while he thinks. “I’m thinking we lay low for a bit before we go anywhere.” He looked around the room to see what they were dealing with. The window on his right was boarded up to keep the night entering. The paint on the walls were chipped and peeled. The carpet on the floor seemed to be either torn, ripped, off, or—he’s taking a wild guess—had a deep red, hinting that someone was killed here. The thought made him shiver uncomfortably. “Or we can move if you want?”

Jesse looked at her brother carefully. He was here, but he was also out there. “Do you the guy who’s doing thing?”

He shook his head. “No—do you?”

She bit the corner of her lips. “He’s you.” His eyes narrowed and his arms crossed, not buying what she’s sealing. “Really, it is. He’s you from another timeline—or something—and he’s here.”

“He tried to kill you,” he kept his face straight; “I don’t kill people.”

“But he does,” she said as she took a deep breath in. “He tried to kill me. I bet he’s going to do something to Lizzy.” She rubbed her arms as her mind traveled. “Is that how she got out?”

“I’m still not thinking that _he’s_ ,” he jerked his thumb at the door, “is me.”

She wiped her hands in front of her as if she was cleaning it. “Eugene—it has to be a different you then. I know what I saw.”

He shifted his weight and allowed his mind to wonder around the room. “Okay. Say that is me from a science world, okay? What would I want from you and Lizzy?”

“He said something about…” her hands raised and air quoted, “‘Balance’. And how his body needs balance.”

“Okay, anything different about him? Like, any special powers or some wild shit?” He’s trying to understand.

She nodded her head, concentrating. “His arm… it was as if he was part of a computer.”

“What?”

“Like,” she bit her lips. “He was glitching. His arms and neck were glitching. At first I thought he was twitching, but he’s glitching.” A sudden wave washed over her head. “I bet that’s how he moves and travels!”

“That would make since,” he hummed. “So… does that mean he is connected to energy around him? Like, everything just exploded at the hospitals.”

She nodded her head. “It’s makes since. He runs on energy—electronic energy. Do you remember bridge? And the reports of cars not working? That would explain it.”

“If that’s it, then do you want to throw water on him and hope he explodes?” Flash watched Jesse’s narrow. “Okay, I get it—what do you want to do?”

Jesse looked at the closed door then back to her brother. “We need to find Lizzy, that’s the first thing we need to do.”

“Then leave,” he said, the corner of his lip raising. At the same time, their fist raised and bumped. “We are the best team.”

“The greatest,” she added.

With a determined and bold glimmer in his eye, they left the old office.

 

Lizzy popped his lips, making a cartoon car noise. Her arm dangled outside the window, and she was losing her mind waiting. At least she could see the nightfall over the city. It almost looks like her city from her cozy room. The only reason why she is not scared about being here alone was by thinking of her mother, Mr. Turtle, and Eddie…

Eddie was shot by a gun.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she mumbled to herself. “He’s a nice person. I thought nice people don’t get hurt?” She hung her head in the other hand, her eye tearing up.

In the back of her mind, she saw Eddie smiling down at her as they walked home together after school. If she wasn’t kidding herself, she saw Eddie more as her “Dad”. She doesn’t know her father, or much about him—besides the time traveling. Eddie was there for her, and he cares about her. She doesn’t know what a “Dad” is like, but Eddie fit it best. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. She didn’t want to cry; she already cried too much already today… but her best friend was shot and might be dead.

Lizzy’s laid her head on her out-stretched arm, warm tears starting to fall. “It was-wasn’t nice at all,” her said through sniffles. The more she thought over today’s events and all the death around her, her head was over-running with emotions like water filling a sink until she started to cry. Her thoughts ran over mind. Lizzy buried her head in her arms, giving up that the monster was coming to save her and Jesse. She gave up that they were going to take her home because Mr. Flash will come back and take her again. “I didn’t do anything wrong!” She sobbed, shouting out the window. “I-I did-didn’t do any-anything wrong!” Her head rested in her arms, sobbing “I want to go home!”

Over her, she felt a cold shadow. She didn’t look up; she knew who it was. Large hands gentle rest on her shoulders, and she felt them shaking nervously, hesitating to rest them.

**“Lizzy.”**

The deep, dark voice made her gasp in shock, jumping at the mention of her name, nearly screaming. She doesn’t remember Mr. Flash sounding that dark. Lizzy looked over her shoulder, her eyes shooting up at the face. Her large and shocked eyes fell when she saw the familiar face from her beloved home. She could see her refection in the white, pearly clean eyes, and she noticed that their sharped and jagged teeth were hiding under a coat of black.

As her lower lip trembled, she felt relief wash over her as she flung her arms around the monster’s waist, crying, “You came!” She thought that they could be cold and slimy, but they felt like a warm, silky blanket. “I-I can’t believe you-you came!” She started laughing through her tears.

She felt them pushing her back to they crouched in front of her. They almost matched her height, but it didn’t matter to her. Their eyes squint half-away as if they were studying her emotions for the first time. Then their eyes soften, realizing that she was hurt.

Lizzy fell forward and wrapped her arms around their neck. “I’m so happy you’re here,” she choked back tears.

Venom only felt Lizzy’s arms around through Eddie’s neck, not through them. Carefully, their arms wrapped around her—one arm lifting her up as if it was nothing and the other over her fluffy hair. He kept her close like a parent, and Venom felt a sudden need to keep her safe again. **“It will alright,”** Venom mumbled reassuringly. **“We have you.”**

She sniffled a few times to gather herself before asking, “Mr. Monster?” They pulled her in front of her, shifting their hand from her hair to her back. Lizzy kept her arms around their neck, and her breathing returned to normal. “Eddie Brock,” she said, “Mr. Flash shot him. I know that you and him don’t get a long, but-but I wanted to let you know because he-he’s my friend.” She bit her lower lip. “And… and he’s killed at least three other people today at an apartment. He took Jesse and me. Jess-Jesse is Eddie’s niece. I don’t know what he wants with her, but it’s nothing good.” She looked left and right quickly as if someone was listing to her. “Can I tell you something else?”

Their head bobbed slowly. They wanted to speak, but they were afraid their voice would scare her even more.

“I’m really scared, Mr. Monster. I don’t want any more to get hurt.”

The monster shook their head at her, saying. **“No one will, Lizzy.”** She could feel their voice throughout her body, and their voice sounded like thunder. She understood that they didn’t mean to sound loud, she could see they were trying. **“You have nothing to be afraid of.”**

“But we gotta find Jesse before Flash does more damage to her,” her voice grew urgent and suddenly nervous. “She fighting him off and I don’t know how long she has until she falls over.”

_She’s fighting him?_ Venom felt disbelief from Eddie.

**“Are you certain?”**

“Yeah. She was on fire, like, real fire. Honest,” she said as her eyes widen. “Like, Mr. Flash punched her, and she got right back up from the floor and fire just… just exploded under her skin. She looked so cool and awesome,” her eyes dazzled. “I never seen anything like it.”

_Fire, huh?_ Eddie hummed. _I guess that’s what the Crow id made of. She’s the Crow._

**“Where is she?”**

Lizzy pointed up. “She’s with him still, but I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Like I said, things are getting hot.”

“Lizzy?”

Their heads perked at the sound of Jesse’s voice calling out from the floor above.

“Jesse?” Lizzy called up. She reached a hand up and felt her tingle in her head. Venom blinked in disbelief when they watched her eyes changed from her soft brown to a bright gold. “Jesse? You up there?” Over their heads, the concrete floor faded away until they could see through it. Jesse was looking down at them, and standing next to them was Flash, the Good Flash. Lizzy waved up, saying, “Hey guys! Look who found me!”

Jesse and Flash both jumped in surprise when they saw the creature and Lizzy. _The nicest thing to do is wave back,_ Flash thought to himself as he waved back. _At least Eddie made it easily._

_How the hell did he get here so fast?_ Eddie asked, a brow falling. Venom answered with a shrugged, but felt thankful that they were able to find all three children.

Jesse took Flash’s hand and nodded down, saying, “After me then you.” Leaping up, grasping his hand tighter, they fell through the floor.

Quickly, Venom swung Lizzy around, her arm still hooked to their neck, in time to catch the other, grabbing Flash by the back of his pants, Jesse’s able to hook her arm on their shoulder. Eddie stumbled back, but Venom caught all of them and stabled themselves. Oddly enough, they felt like a coat rack filled with kids. Venom didn’t know how to feel about it, but Eddie felt like a Proud Dad. Underneath the goo and thick ink, Eddie had a goofy-happy grin on his face. _These are my children now,_ he told Venom. _Our kids._

Venom rolled his eyes.

“Hey, Mr. Monster?” Lizzy asked. “Can I stay on your back for a while, please?”

“Maybe drop Flash, too?’ Flash called up.

Jesse let herself down, saying, “We gotta hurry out. The other guy is coming for something.” She shook her head, her eyes growing scared. “He’s mad, Venom. He thinks killing Lizzy and me would… do something good for him.” Venom dropped Flash on the ground, but he was back up again next to his sister. “He talked about balance in his body. What do that mean?”

Venom felt Lizzy’s arms tighten light around their neck, but it didn’t bother them. **“We can handle him,”** they wrapped hands around Lizzy’s wrists. **“Lizzy? If Jesse tells you where to go, will you go there?”** They felt her heartbeat fall and become uncertain. Rolling their shoulders, black threads lifted her from their neck, carried her over the shoulder, and placed her on the ground as they knelt in front of her.

She rocked back and forth on her heels and rubbed her fingers and hands. “What if I screw up?” Lizzy looked up at them. “What if I can’t do it?”

Venom raised a hand and placed on her cheek. Lizzy’s little hand hung when she grasped it. Even being near them and under their shadow made her nervous. They’re a lot more taller than she remembers. **“You will do great, child,”** they lifted her head and grinned, trying hard not to frighten her. **“We believe in you.”**

She smiled at them as she felt her confidence grow. She stepped backwards and took Flash’s and Jesse’s hand. “Please be safe, Mr. Monster. San Francisco needs you, you know?”

They smiled at them as they watched the three faded away.


	34. A Found Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reporter Eddie at his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a side story that I wanted to add. I wanted to show a little bit about his life in California and what it would be like for him to do a report. Also, I didn't want to post this separate.

One of the many memories Eddie goes back to was last summer—the hottest day of the year. The city was _hot._ Not the type of hot that cooks a Thanksgiving meal, or a quick summer’s night sex by the lake, or the pressure of a kettle boiling on the stove. This type of _hot_ only comes when the sun is higher than the boys in E3, not a single white cloud in the sky, and the blue sky stung eyes. The only reason why he remembers this day of the year was when the building lost its air conditioning. All of the windows on the street were opened wide for the still and salty air. It was too _hot_ to do anything, and Eddie had to write a report next day. There wasn’t a topic or anything to chase after. It was almost like a free write on his opinion.

In Eddie’s apartment building, he kept his pajama’s shorts on and had their shirt off, sweating and dying. The only thing that was cold in his apartment was the beer in the fridge and Venom curled up in a ball on his lap, sleeping. He had his computer next to them and started looking for things to write about. Instead, Eddie ended up turning his couch to face the window so he could see the other buildings around them suffer like him. In one building, he saw a family in a living room in front of a spinning fan. The kids on the floor—three of them—were playing Uno, and Eddie could hear the game. Two windows up on the right was a woman with her dog. The amber hair girl was topless and only worn too small of panties for her fine body. They made eye contact. In politeness, Eddie raised his beer with a friendly smile. She raised her water bottle with a careless shrug. Both drinking before she left the room. It’s California. Don’t judge anyone or anything. To her left, a couple turned the heat up a notch. Eddie could hear their vase breaking on the floor from his couch. All he knows is the woman is having a kid soon.

When Eddie looked at the other apartment building to the right, the top left corner’s man had their legs hanging out, drinking a beer, and his boyfriend—now married—behind him with his arms hanging on his neck. He, too, had a beer. Two windows down, a teenage girl (maybe thirteen or fourteen) on the phone with someone. She was wearing neon pink shorts, a white tank-top, and her red hair was put up in a bun. Next to her apartment, Eddie saw a two kids—one white, the other black—eating ice cream from a tube while their mothers talked on the couch. The two boys were smiling about something as they ate ice cream, making Eddie think thoughtfully about their friendship in the future. Over them, a non-binary—they’re one of the sweetest persons Eddie knows—Roy, was painting with their T.V. on. They were listening to a Bob Ross audio with their two cats beside them. The window to their left opened and the woman’s head stretched over to see them. They smiled at her as they started talking. Then Eddie watched her shut her window, them leaving to come back with the girl in the room with paints and canvases. She was in short black pants and wore a strapless dark red bra with her rainbow hair in a ponytail. From his couch, he could see her black, shoulder tattoos. There was a flower, a butterfly, a dream catcher, and an out lining of heart.

Looking down at the street, a police car stopped to talked to a group of men who were shirtless. One of the men gave the police officer a water bottle. Eddie assumed it wasn’t open because the officer took it and drunk the bottle. Then, a little ways from them, a group of girls (might be Lizzy’s age because she was down there) played while a hose hung from out of a window. He could hear them laughing and yipping around the water. Walking pass them, a couple walked their dogs, holding hands. Cars passed by the hot buildings, and the ice cream truck passed, stopping by the girls and group of men. From what Eddie gathered, the men bought the girls ice cream.

He finished his beer and started his article:   

"In the dry heat of July, I find myself looking out the window with an empty bottle of beer. No, I’m not drunk—just thinking about my neighborhood. The gang of men down from me bough ice cream for the girls who live in the area. This is the same gang that holds shoot outs, drug rings, and control the area. Surprisingly, they love the kids in the neighborhood. They have School Night on Tuesdays, which is where they pay teachers to come and give homework help to the kids. When the police officer on the street does his rounds in the area, he keeps check-ups with them every week. He’s arrested some of the members before, but the teammates don’t hang it over his head every time they see him.

 

In the buildings across of me, I see lovers, painters, dreamers, and unity. Unity from the boys eating ice cream for the same tub of ice cream. They have different backgrounds and different skin colors, but it doesn’t matter to them as they smile and joke with each other. The a gender-neutral and their next door neighbor paint to a Bob Ross audio. I don’t know what they are talking about, but the girl is smiling at them with they focus on the painting in. The woman doesn’t care what they are or classify as—she wants to hang out with them. I watched her poke her head out the window to talk to them! I find that… amazing how she could do that.

 

So, what does have to do with _The Brock Report_ today? If you look around the world and listen to the news, we become numb to the simple, yet, inspiring things around us. Looking out the window on this hot day, I see a world, a new world, that we all should try to be."

“Well… that sounds like shit,” he mutters to himself. He saved then shut his computer. After writing that, he felt dumber than normal. _To find a good story, you gotta get out there._

 He woke Venom so he could move from the couch. They put on clothes, something light, and headed out to the streets to get a photo of the gang, the girls, and the police officer. Then he found the floor where Roy lives and took a picture of them painting, of the painting, and the cats that sat in the middle of the two. Roy was nice enough to tell Eddie wat floor the couple lives on. While Eddie took their photo, the Red Head (Brian) got on one knee. Eddie was able to capture the other’s (Tyler) reaction and a picture of them kissing in their apartment. Eddie like that photo. After leaving, the happy couple took them to the Ice Cream apartment to show the mothers the ring and for a picture. Their mothers and the boys stood for a picture in the apartment, one with the two boys eating the ice cream, and Eddie received information on the Aaron’s—the white boy—and Jorden’s—he’s from Chicago—mother’s business. The women do nails down the road. Eddie took a card and promised to put the add under at the end of his report for a quick shout-out.

He left and went to the other apartment and found the family playing Uno. It was supposed to be a quick phot, but Eddie ended up staying for dinner. The family is from a small town in Mexico and came to America for jobs, education, and, well, a better life. They told him about their crossing and about a family member unable to come because they didn’t pass some test or something. Either way, they still came and wanted for them to come. While there for dinner, Eddie learned different recipes and cooking styles that Sra. Rogiza learned from her mother. He took home some recipes to his apartment. He stopped along the way when he saw Lizzy. This was before they became friends, but she was polite to him then. She was with the girls from G13, which is on the same floor, and they were talking about their plans for tomorrow. Eddie smiled at them as he headed up to his apartment. He cracked open his last beer and sat on the couch to rewrite his story for the even news tomorrow.

He rewrote his story, but kept some things in it:

"In the dry heat of July, I find myself looking out the window with an empty bottle of beer. No, I’m not drunk—just thinking about my neighborhood. The gang of men down from me bough ice cream for the girls who live in the area. This is the same gang that holds shoot outs, drug rings, and control the area. Surprisingly, they love the kids in the neighborhood. They have School Night on Tuesdays, which is where they pay teachers to come and give homework help to the kids. When the police officer on the street does his rounds in the area, he keeps check-ups with them every week. He’s arrested some of the members before, but the teammates don’t hang it over his head every time they see him.

 

In the buildings across of me, I see lovers, painters, dreamers, and unity. Unity from the boys eating ice cream for the same tub of ice cream. They have different backgrounds and different skin colors, but it doesn’t matter to them as they smile and joke with each other. The a gender-neutral and their next door neighbor paint to a Bob Ross audio. I don’t know what they are talking about, but the girl is smiling at them with they focus on the painting in. The woman doesn’t care what they are or classify as—she wants to hang out with them. I watched her poke her head out the window to talk to them! I find that… amazing how she could do that.

 

Because I’m nosey and love to stick my head in other people’s business, I went out to take photos of these people. While doing so, I met them, talked with them, and even helped them. The painters were finishing a sunset in a valley with happy trees all around. Then I learned the woman just graduated college last month. If there is a school looking an Art Teacher, please contact the show for information about her. Then, I came at the right time for Brain and Tyler because I caught wonderful pictures of Brian bending a knee for Tyler. To tie it all together at the end, the mothers of the Ice Cream Boys run a business. A nail spa. They were there to talk over a new design for the end of the summer and Summer Jam next week.

 

In the next apartment, I had the honor of meeting the Rogizas. The family told me about their story about coming here along with the testes done at the boarded. With the testes and medical records involved, the mother told me that the government is find lope holes for allowing her and her family to cross, breaking their own laws and rules for letting her family cross. She’s missing one member because they couldn’t “speak correctly”. I will be looking into the rules and laws around the building along with the lope holes."   

 

So, what does have to do with _The Brock Report_ for today’s program? What tugged at my heart to write this story? On hot days like these, we tend not to move or try to move. The heat around either makes us suffer or makes us come together to suffer together. There is a unity on the street, calling out The Bads to buy ice cream for girls, or sharing a tube despite color and race. There is opportunity when artist come together to paint, sharing their gifts and creativity with each other. There is misunderstanding in the heat for a family with missing parts, but they are happy that they are together. What I learned today from these people is that the weather doesn’t determine mood or attitude. It’s how you look at the day and how your plans can come together to make something special.

 

I’m Eddie Brock, and that’s _The Brock Report._

The next day at work, he had his boss read it to make sure it was pleasing for him and the show. His boss told him to get the report recorded and put the photos together before lunch. While Eddie worked—and Venom help point out photos and order of his words—he put together contact numbers for the nail spa and for the young woman with the teaching degree. He listened to himself and redid the recording again. He had a good feeling about this report, and he didn’t know why.

At the end of the report, he made a collage of his favorite photos he took. The group picture on the street eating ice cream, one of the members buying Lizzy ice cream, the painters’ and cats’ back facing him as they paint, the mothers showing off their nails. Then a black and white picture of the Ice Cream Boys, the family picture of the Rogizas, and to finish it all with Tyler’s reaction to his boyfriend going on one knee in the center of the collage. Venom like how the pictures will tie the report together and they liked how it’ll end the report. The recorded their T.V. part by noon for the 6:30 Evening Report. When the showed the story on air, Venom watched the report while Eddie was busy setting up an interview with a former I.C.E. officer about the boarder and testes immigrants have to take to enter.

 

Memories like that keep Eddie in control or when feeling hopeless. They fall back to that memory when something big is happening. The report itself helps others around him, and the reports help Venom understand the world Eddie lives in. Even though they live in the poor part of the city where crime is high and drugs are free, the sun never fails to shine on his street. Even on dark days, somewhere in the apartment, someone kept some sunrays in their pocket or smile. Maybe that’s why Eddie decided to help Ms. Dawn that fateful day? Maybe… maybe that’s why Lizzy has those powers.

Maybe ‘maybe’ is good enough for them.


	35. Friends help Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how this goes.

When they left, Mr. Flash didn’t waste time. The faster he bounds with Venom, the easier it’ll be to take back the girls. He was so close to taking them, so close to go home—There’s a new road block, however. The Flash ere knows he’s here. His sister told him about it—about _him._ He wouldn’t let that stop him. He’s so close; he can taste it.

Venom turned, and he didn’t waste time to attack them. He hit them with a radio wave, static. He didn’t want to hurt them, hurt Venom. Eddie? There’s only room for one host, and that’s him. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again for letting them live like they did with Spider-Man. No. There was no way he was letting Eddie walk out of this. Venom with fight back in his—no, _their_ body at first, but once they see how weak Eddie is without them… Mr. Flash couldn’t help smile at the thought of Eddie’s throat covered in blood. He remembered the power they had together, how stable his life was. Being stuck in this timeline and around him drove him off, but Eddie’s death kept him here, together. With alcohol aside, thinking clear, he listened to Venom and Eddie scream at the high waves, the static in his hands.

One of the things he learned when Mr. Flash first jumped is he can make static out of nothing. Not only can he slow time to a near stop, he can catch radio waves to turn them into static. It feels amazing when pulls the energy from the air. He could feed off it if he wanted to, and let the energy eat him alive. His blood and mind took in the energy like his body takes a full bottle of Grey Goose. He felt alive, whole, with the radio waves in him.

Their screams made his hair stand and the city below stop. Peter could hear them from across the city. When he glanced back at Lasher, his eyes grew when Lasher and Abigale’s skin blurred. The machine was finished, and they already knew how it works. Besides, it’s already turned on; it needs to warm up before it can be used. He knows he promised them to say with Lasher, but he could hear them a mile away. He never heard so pain in a scream before, so much energy within a scream. This device has to work… it has to. If it doesn’t, Peter didn’t know what else to do. Some many paths, only one to take. Which one will he follow? He grit his teeth, over thinking the possibilities over and over in his head. He looked back at Abigale and Lasher then back at the building. Both are hurting, Lasher and Venom, and their host can take so much before they give up and let go. With the world at his feet and the sky trapped in his eyes, he found a way for both of them. A sweet taste floated on his tongue as a short grin crossed his lips.

Spinning, Peter gripped their shoulders firm—but not hard to hurt them—enough for Abigale’s upper body to stop. In their eyes, there was hurt and pain. The noise was ringing in their ears, and it was shaking their body. “I’ll be right back—start the device in three minutes! Give it time to warm up, okay?”

She nodded her head, watched Peter leap off the building to catch themselves with a web. It takes five minutes for him to get back with Venom, but he was hurrying to get to them. Dodging the birds and trains, the screams grew louder. Venom wasn’t giving up that easily. They weren’t going to back down without a fight. Peter rushed, swinging in the air, throwing himself up to come back down. The building was insight, and the screams grew. Below, he saw Iron Man and Thor fly up to the building.

_Oh, no,_ Peter felt nervous thinking about their plan. _Venom, if you can hear me, stay together! I’m coming!_ Determination bloomed in his chest as his threads of web and arms raced, throwing them up and down. He passed Thor’s hammer and zipped passed Iron Man. _Two windows. Just two windows!_

When he hit the first window, the screams stopped. He lunged himself on their floor and found Eddie. He didn’t have Venom around him anymore. He was sweating and wheezing on the floor. He stood by the side as the floor began to shake. Eddie’s head shot up and he was back up again. On the floor, an inky, black, sluggish ball jerked side-to-side on the floor. Then the static grew louder making Peter cover his ears. Through his cuffed ears, he could hear Iron Man’s suit turn off, and he imaged him falling from the sky with Thor turning to catch him. Maybe when he has him, they’ll regroup with the rest. They could come back, but that’s too risky with the noise and static. Peter—Spider-Man—is alone to fight this with Eddie and a black glob on the floor.

Surprised, Mr. Flash watched Eddie stumble towards him. He knew Eddie has determination in him, but he didn’t know he was this eager to get his symbiote back. He admired his actions for their bond… but play time is over. With his right hand blurring in and out, from the lope, he took a knife—the same knife he used on Jason—from a kitchen. The handle was cold in his clutch, and it fit perfectly. If he has Venom, the girls will be easy to kill. He could finish it all and be the person he once was. Stable. Still. Sober. _Perfect._ He can be all of that with two more deaths, so, what’s the harm with one more? They were so focused on protecting Spider-Man, Peter, that they couldn’t think of this. They were so focused on protecting others in the city that they never thought of themselves. God, how _pathetic_.

Through his squinted eyes, Peter saw time beginning to slow down. The machine is ready, why hasn’t Lasher and Abigale turn it on yet?

Because when they pressed the button, one of the car batteries died, causing Lasher to steal a car nearby to piece it together again. They were going to be too late for their friends by the time they get the power to work.

Peter couldn’t wait for them. When time began to slow around him, he moved his legs into a sprint. At first it was slow, but he moved with every step as Flash walked normal, observing both Venom and Eddie, his smile and eyes empty as he moved carefully. Peter pushed himself against the pressure, hitting the fields and energy against his body. To him, it felt like glass breaking against his legs, and it nearly felt like thick mud as he moved through the pressure. With every step, he felt himself breaking thought the glass, moving faster and faster. Before he knew it, he was in front of Eddie, blocking Mr. Flash’s path, his flame building inside. He was moving at his normal speed again as he broke through the glass and pressure.

Mr. Flash underestimated the Spider when he threw a right hook at him. He stumbled back in shock. Spider-Man was moving at a normal speed like he can. He was in a bigger shock when he saw blood from his upper lip.

“So, you can move now?” Mr. Flash’s voice was cold and flat. He didn’t sound impressed at all. “What? You think you can stop me?” He snorted. “Tell me, Spider-Man—can you tell when time will catch up with you?”

“No,” Peter respond. “But I know that I’ll spend time stalling to kick your butt.”

Mr. Flash spun the handle in in fingers and stood ready. “Eddie _was_ my last road block,” he said. Peter held up his hands, ready to go. “What’s one less bug in the world? Would anyone really miss you?” His hand suddenly slashed the blade down at him.

Peter grasped the wrist, pushing his arm up, and hammering his left fist into Mr. Flash’s nose. Mr. Flash stumbled back and pointed the knife at him, his powers pushing the knife towards Peter. Quickly, Peter jumped over the knife, his webbing catching it, then flinging it back at Mr. Flash. The carving knife dug into his upper right shoulder, sticking to the shattering bone. He let out a quick cry of pain before he ran towards Peter. He wrapped his arms around his waist and hammered him through a portal to the bridge.

Back where it all began.

 

Once they connected again, time caught up with Venom and Eddie. Venom took over once more and looked around the room. Peter and Mr. Flash aren’t here.

Venom throat rumbled, rippling as their eyes searched for a clue where they were. **“Which way?”**

_If I was a bad dude,_ in their mind, Eddie flashed an image of the bridge. _I would go and end it all there. Where the adventure started._

They spun on their heels to follow the trail, leaping out the window. Under them, Iron Man and Thor tried, but Venom’s shadow over them made them stop. They looked at each other before heading back down to tell the others. Venom could give to flying cares about them. What they were doing was right, and no one was going to tell them different.

So many things happening, so many things that confused them this week. There was peace for a moment then chaos the next. It’s like someone was writing a story with no plot, really. Or a really bad fanfiction written by a twelve-year-old. Fate is like that sometimes. It’s just a series of tragedy one right after another. The past twenty-four hours acted like that. There were goods and bads this week.

They flew pass the roof top where Lasher and Abigale finished fixing the motor.

_Time to stall for them,_ Eddie remarked as they saw Mr. Flash and Spider-Man fought on the bridge. The scene looked as if they were meeting again—police on the other end, cars stopped and some piled up, and Peter putting up his good end as he fought—it made Venom uneasy because they knew how that end. _Wanna get in?_

With a grunt, letting go of a building, they landed on the wires holding the bridge. They weaved in and out of the wires then took a car by the roof. When Mr. Flash held Peter in a headlock, Peter felt a sudden wave telling him to move. He slammed his head back, lifted his feet, and kicked Mr. Flash to let him go. Mr. Flash stumbled back and grit his teeth—

**“Yeet!”** Venom shouted as they slammed the car down on Mr. Flash. Mr. Flash snapped his head up at the falling car and jumped out of the way, but his leg was caught under the weight of the hood. He let out a blood curdling scream, frightening both Eddie and Peter; Venom could care less what happened to him. They landed a couple feet from Peter and gave a big smile to him. They raised their hand, placed it over their head, and ruffled his mask.

“Stop, bro,” Peter laughed pushing his hand away. “You’re going to give me mask hair.” The right arm of his suit was ripped to show scraps and fresh blood. Venom could see an outline of his smile under the mask. “Thank you, though.”

They shrugged. **“It was nothing,”** they admitted. They glanced over their shoulder when they heard cracking metal and glass shattering from the windows. Quickly, the car was thrown at them. Venom ducked, wrapping an arm around Peter for protection, holding him close to their chest. The car rolled off their back and tumbled three or five spins ahead of them. Venom raised their head feeling something coming towards them. They pushed Peter behind them as they formed a black shield to block another car harled.

Peter stumbled three steps, an open car door stopping his fall. He pushed himself back up, his hands crushing broken glass in the window, and ready to fight with Venom, taking Mr. Flash head on. _The motor should be working by now_ , he thought to himself. _Any moment now!_


	36. Where the Wild Flower Nod

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super sad one.  
> Listen to "Lass from the low countree" for this one. it'll set the mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for a trip!

There was a sudden still ness in the air as Lizzy watched from a stranger’s apartment. The T.V. was on when she watched Venom stop a car from crushing Spider-Man. Behind her, she can hear Jesse and Flash bickering about “going to help their uncle”, but how can they do that? He’s shot. For all she knows, he might be dead. She didn’t want to think about, not about death.

She looked at the shout door leading out of the apartment sadly, feeling almost empty inside, then back at the T.V. Whatever made her—fate, God, determination—she rose from the couch and thought about Eddie and how she wanted to see him. If she saw his body, she might feel better. _He can’t be dead,_ she thought. _Eddie’s too stubborn to die._

Careful and graceful, she crept towards the closed apartment door, grasped her hand over the handle, and opened the door, shutting her eyes, taking a leap of fate. Lizzy stepped through and shut the door behind her, listening to Flash calling for her to stop. The first thing she felt was the wind and the moonlight. It was a warm glow in the cold night. She opened her eyes and saw cars like she saw on T.V. Her feet on black top and her hands touching a steering wheel. Confused, she cooked an eye. There’s no car, so what’s with the wheel. She carried the wheel with her as she walked on the road, thinking it would protect her. She could see three shadows, all fighting each other. Lizzy felt her head tingle when she felt a wave shoot throw her stomach, glowing a bright red and orange. She mouthed in awe as she saw power around her absorbed in a little white ball in front of her.

Mr. Flash pushed Spider-Man off, and she watched the familiar knife droved in his skin. He slipped through the monster’s grip and raced towards her… no, towards the light. Thinking quickly, she raced towards the little ball. Whatever it was, he wants it, and what he wants is bad. She reached her hand out and felt her hand touch the bright light. The energy ran through her, and she felt _everything._ She could feel the lights burning out, hearts beating, people helping others on the Chaos Street, eyes watching the screen, her mother looking at the screen screaming at her daughter not touch the light. She felt the cold water below and the fish swimming happily. She felt Venom and their host, hearing their thoughts yelling to _save her_. Who are they anyways? The light burned inside her, wrapping her in a blanket of warmth and sun under the moonlight. She pushed loose hair back, feeling the world under her slowly turn, feeling the night on her back and the stars in her eyes. As the feeling lingered around her, Mr. Flash stood several feet away from her, his mouth hung open in shock.

That power… _his power_ —gone. He tried to blur, leave like would, but nothing happened. That was his power, now it’s inside of a seconded grader.

“It worked,” Peter breathed, feeling weight being lifted off his chest. He glanced at Venom and said, “I didn’t know if it was going to work, honestly. I was making it up as I went.”

 **“It was a Hale Mary?”** Venom was unsure how to feel. A mixture to be proud for Peter to save the day, or feel worried with a **“So, you had no clue if it was going to work?”**

Peter shook his head under his mask. “No; I got the equation wrong, so, Abigale, Lasher, and I had to come up with something on the fly, really. She knows a _lot_ about cars.”

 

Mr. Flash stood in front of her and tried to wrap his head around it. She wasn’t moving like he did when he first got the problem. She is still while he was thrown through timelines and lopes in one sitting. Strong than she looks. That’s what holds her small body together. Sunlight and life. That makes a bird.

A seagull over him slowed in itself flight until it looked frozen. Spider-Man’s hand stood still in the air as it reached for Venom’s hand.

“Mr. Flash?” Lizzy’s voice asked filled with wonder. “Why did do this? What made you do this?” She folded her hands in front of her.

Around them, time was still and stopped. He didn’t know how to do that until he played around with it. “You’re a fast learner,” he remarked, “I didn’t learn this until three or four weeks later.” Their eyes locked, her eyes soft and opened for him. “I wanted to live,” he answered. “I wanted to be still again. In it, I had to do this,” his arms opened and it looked as if he was carrying the buildings and smoke on his shoulders. “I did it all for me.”

She chewed the corner of her lower lip. “Or… did you do it for someone else? You did tell me you lost your daughter.” She took a curious step towards him. “Why are you doing this, Mr. Flash? Did you lose someone special? Close?”

He looked away from her, seeing the water below. He could jump and get it over with. “I lost my sister,” he said, the taste bitter in his mouth. “She died.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Because people die?” He said. “She didn’t want to be saved? She wanted—she wanted to die there, bleeding?”

Lizzy never understood death. She never understood what it was like to give up forever and not receive help. Lizzy knows that death takes whomever they want without caring, but she never understood how people could let it happen. Lizzy felt lost for words as she felt sadness in her head. “So, you feel like it’s your fault?”

He said nothing.

Lizzy looked at her hands then at him. “I—”

“I’m sorry for everything,” he interrupted politely. “I never meant to ‘cause you harm.” Sliding between two cars, he stood next to the railing. “You’re going to do good, Lizzy.”

Her eyes grew in horror when his hand touched the railing and one side of his body leaned forward. “Mr. Flash, don’t!”

“You’re going to go far, kid,” he said lightly, his eyes admiring her. Below him, the water called his name. At first, the call was low and sweet, singing his name carefully, longing for him. As his eyes stayed on Lizzy, the black sky faded from the city lights and blurred together. In the faded stars, he could see his sister’s smile. Jesse’s voice came from below from the waters. Though it was dark and the water was black, he could see his reflection. He could see his hands still covered in blood and death. So fixated on living, he hardly noticed how death felt perfect for him. If there is power, no time, then what is there left for him? Lizzy’s mother will see him dead, Jesse wouldn’t understand, and what would Venom think if she and him became friends? Again, the water called for him. The cool water calls for him to sleep, to drown, and to walk among angels and demons. The waves lapped over each other, all calling out for him to come.

“The water,” he said tenderly, his eyes twinkling. “It’s so… pretty. Almost like diamonds and shattered glass. Frozen rain one would say.”

“Mr. Flash, please,” Lizzy felt her heart race faster in her chest. “Please, step away from the railing. You could fall.”

A light and simple smile feel over him as he looked at the water. “That’s the point, Elizabeth,” he said. A light breeze feel over him, touching his face like a hand drawing his face nearer to the water. “Falling is easier than standing.” He shut his eyes and forgave himself. Leaning forward, his flipped over the railing, his body floating peacefully to the water. He hardly noticed the arms around him, holding him when he hit the water. He felt a rush of cold water rush in his eyes. He drifted down as he looked up at the watery sky, recalling the night she died.

She begged him not to save her—that it was too late for her. He tried to fight back, telling her Venom could help her, but all she did was smile and asked if he could water her flowers and take out the trash for her.

“The bags,” she said lowly. “They’re too heavy for me. Carry them for me, yeah?”

As he drifted down, his back rested against a forgotten ship. He opened his mouth and let the water in, circling in his lungs and flooding his lungs. He felt his body panic, but his mind eased them with a picture of wild flowers. In the wild greens and oranges, he saw his sister in a cotton white sun dree, wearing a sun hat. In her hands, her fingers twirled white daisies and barley. Her head shot quickly when she felt eyes on her. Her eyes filled with quick fear, but it drained and fall again, laughing at him happily. Then she looked down and picked up someone. She was wearing the same dress as her, but she had bouncing blonde curls and dark brown eyes. When the little girl saw him, a wild smile feel on her face. Jesse placed her down and let the little girl run towards him. She was giggling the whole run there. A few feet away, she called, “Daddy!”

Mr. Flash smiled at her and bent down, wrapping his arms around her, picking her up in the air, spinning her in circles, then stopping again to hold her tighter. Behind him, the wild flowers nod and stood still.

 

Lizzy’s eyes stared blankly at the railing as her feet brought her there. She looked to the side at the water. Over the waters, she couldn’t see anything below. She didn’t know where he went or how hard he hit the water. Yet, she felt the cold water around her. She shivered as she looked at the water below. It’s odd. Water makes up 70% of a human body, and plants need it to survive. How come too much water kills you? Too much water kills a plant? If the world is covered in water and only 7% is searched, then what wonderful and terrible things lurk underneath the waves? Out into the water of steel and iron, smoke drifted over the water like a blanket. Who knows when he’ll wake up again? No one does; no, not even Lizzy. 

Over her, the bird flapped its wings and continued to fly home. Spider-Man and Venom’s hands shook. Lizzy pushed away from the rails and looked around that the mess that he made. He did it all to save him. He did it all for… he did it all for her, Jesse—his sister. He wanted her back, and he knew he couldn’t have it. It drove him over and he’s gone. Nothing more to say or do about it.

 **“Lizzy?”** Venom’s voice was gentle calling her name. Sadly, she patted the railing and came to her side, her hand hugging her arm. **“What’s wrong?”**

She stood at their feet and looked up. “What a mess we’ve made,” she said in a low voice.

Spider-Man’s head whipped around. “Wait. Where’d he go?”

Silence was her answer. Her lower lip quivered as she shut her eyes. She thought back when Eddie was in the state. She thought of Flash and Jesse living together happily. She thought of her mother with a better job. Lizzy wanted to bring Mr. Flash back for a second chance, to make things better. Inside her, her blood froze still for a second, one second, then reversed itself, spinning backwards, pumping through her hands and in the air. Changing time isn’t for her, but… even Fate lets you decide.   

The wind picked up at her feet, and it howled in her ears. In the waters below, a circle, a vortex opened, glowing a bright blue and white. The wind blow harder until she was lifted. Spider-Man and Venom grasped her as the wind blew hard enough to suck cars and tops of buildings in. Landing a few feet away, Lasher wobbled in the wind, trying to brace the wind.

“What’s happening?” Spider-Man shouted over the wind.

“Hey!” She shouted. “Spider-Man? Mr. Monster?—Cool Looking Spider-Man?” She glanced at each in the group, smiling. “Mainly Mr. Monster!—” Their eyes met, a shaky smile holding on her face—“Come find me when you wake up!”

 **“What?”** They shouted as her arm started to slip through their hand. Buildings on each side fell and crumbled into the vortex below, swirling into an endless rabbit hole. **“Lizzy, wait—!”**

“Just come find me, okay?” She shouted. Her head ducked as a tire rolled over her. “Promise you’ll find me?”

They could feel them losing their grip on her. **“What if we can’t?”**

“There’s no such thing as can’t!” She shouted. “Come find me, okay? I still want to be friends!” Her hand slipped through theirs. She faced up and looked at the monster jumping after her. Black threads and ink slipped over their arms until she saw a human hand grasp hers. The white eyes fell under into the head and blue eyes shinned brightly as she was pulled up. “Eddie?” She shouted in disbelief, vortex sounding like a tornado.

She couldn’t hear what he was saying as they fell, but she was happy to see him. They felt scared—all of them—as they fell into the hole. The light grew brighter as it stung their eyes. The tornado sirens screamed in their eyes. She squeezed her eyes tighter, Eddie placing a hand over her head, burying her head in neck.

Venom tried to protect them, but the light burnt them.

Eddie’s eyes grew wide as the blanket of white burned his eyes. Ducking their head, eyes shutting, he held her closer as their skin blurred and faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this shouldn't be his ending, I know, but I saw this most fitting. if you read into it and the chapters he was in, he's a symbol of determination, and determination dies after something throws it off, lost of power.


	37. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever read "The Heart Rate of a Mouse" before?

Eddie shoot up, my chest heaving, suddenly burning. He was sweating bullets as his let my eyes dart around the room in a panic. Quickly, his hands searched his upper body, two fingers raising to the neck to check if he was still alive. He didn’t feel anything for a moment then the soft bumps bounced off the fingertips. Eddie raised his shoulders and cracked them, popping the bones and muscles, feeling tense, nervous.

Home. Safe.

Faded oranges lights from the street lamps reflect off their bedroom walls. It’s too early for the sun, and it’s too early for them to panic.

“What the Hell?” A sleepy voice mumbled in a pillow. A warm hand slipped over my shoulder as he tried to push me down. “Eddie? Eddie, it’s too early for your bullshit,” the voice groan sleepily, complaining.

Eddie searched the room again. Everything is still in order: the slanted picture of New York, the top dresser door open for his uniform to hang, the black clock ticking over the dresser wasn’t straight, my dirty socks still in the corner, our cat sleeping on a pile of cloths on a chair, and the closest door slightly opened. Inside, dress shirts and pants hung silently next to more uniforms and sweatshirts. The lonely window had one curtain shut and another drifted open for the streetlights. His shaky breath slowed until they felt normal again.

“Eddie,” begged the voice, the hand pulling at his arm. “Sleep.”

He slid under the sheets again and rested his hands under their head. It all felt too simple for him, but simple is good enough.

 ** _Eddie, we need sleep,_** Venom rumbled softly in their head, yawning.

“Jason?” Eddie asked aloud.

“Eddie, I swear to Saint Bridget, if this is a dumb thin’,” Jason shifted himself to face me. His arms wrapped around his side sleepily. “If th’ is another ‘is the earth flat’ thin’, I will not hesitate.”

He couldn’t help but smirked lightly. _God, I love him._ “No, it’s about something else.”

Jason drew a deep breath in. “Wa’ now?” His skin is oddly soft tonight. Normally, Eddie would feel his scars when he rest against them, but it was different tonight. “Is Venom havin’ a mental breakdown on cheese… again?”

Venom hover over the two, extending from the other shoulder, and gave a doubtful glance. **“Cheese is a frozen block milk.”**

“Then wa’ do ya cal’ ice cream?” Jason asked carelessly, yawning. His head nuzzled closer to Eddie. His hair smells nice tonight. _I guess he is taking better care of himself these days_. Knowing that it’s hard for him to overcome depression, and this being his third trip to the hospital this month, but he’s getting better. _His hair never smelt this good before_. “It’s da same thin’.”

Before another argument broke out, Eddie said, “No—it’s more of a ‘ _me’_ thing. I had a weird-ass dream.”

“And this can’t wait till the morning because?”

“In this dream—”

“Here we go.”

“—I met Spider-Man because I was on a report, ya know? Then it was a shit show spiral. Flash and Jesse’s parents died, Venom has a kid, I had a little friend named Lizzy,” Eddie took a tired breathe, “There was so much in the dream… it all felt real, though.”

Jason left his head. “Was I there?”

“Yeah,” he said. “You and the team. Mr. Russo—New York Russo—was in it, too.” Eddie didn’t want to tell him what happened to him, how he died. “It felt so… real.”

Jason sat up and looked down at Eddie. “I’m real,” he whispered gently before a tired grin crossed his lips. He leaned down and stole a quick kiss. “Night, lovely,” Jason said, keeping the same tone. “Sleep, Eddie. You have that interview with a commander. They smell fear.” Jason buried his head close to their side and went to sleep.

 ** _Eddie,_** the voice was so simple and equally soft. **_Please?_**

 _Okay, buddy,_ Eddie’s eyes fluttered shut, yawning.

 

“Pete! Wake up!” Arms shook Peter Parker. His body jolt as he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. He slept wrong on the bus. Damn, his neck is going to hurt all day. “We’re almost at the control center,” Jesse beamed. “Aren’t you excited?”

Peter’s eyes lingered.

A bus filled with other class student. So… it was all a dream? New York was never in danger, and he never met Venom or a strange man with anxiety? Sighing shortly to himself, his back relaxed in the seat, but his shoulder was tense, nervous suddenly.  

“Jesse?” Peter asked confused. “What state are we in?”

“California.” Flash’s shadow hovered over his seat. He turned his attention to his sister, saying, “You’re going to love it here, Jess—sunny, warm, shopping malls for your… shopping-girl things.”

She simply smiled at her brother. “Nice try, but no. Oh!” Her eyes lit. “Did you call Uncle Eddie to tell him we’re here? I never met him and I think it would be neat to see him.”

“For sure, sis. I’ll call him.” Flash nodded at her with a smile before sliding back to his seat.

The sun was peeking over the city as the bus drove. Peter remembered why he was there: there was an army base that’s part science and history. It was close to an early spring break. Only twelve, lucky students at his high school were picked, and Peter was relieved that Jesse came along with her brother. Also, she is the only person in the group that understands Abigale, the deaf girl who wears dresses. On the tour, a captain was going to speak to them, a quick speed game, and a picture with the leading team—the military team who works with the Avengers. The more he thought about it, the more excited he grew. It’s not every day that Spider-Man can take a quick vacation. The morning air was cool and comfortable for a jacket, not a suit.

Peter stretched when the bus stopped, feeling the bones pop, and caught up with Jesse. She held out her hand when he got there, and, happily, he took it and walked with her on towards the tour. About five months ago, he asked her out on a date, a simple date. Then one date turned into two more. After that, a movie date was called then a dinner date at Greenburg Grub—Mr. Russo’s shop. After a handful of dates, he asked her to the Winter Formal.

“So, am I it? The girlfriend?” She asked playfully.

“Do you want that?” He asked nervously. “Because I would to, but I’m not forcing you or anything. I just don’t want to rush you if you don’t want to. I just thought a dinner or a movie after the dance, or we-we don’t have to—”

She laughed, cutting him off, making him blush at her playful laugh. “I would love to be your girlfriend.”

So, the experiment begins.

They walked up steps of the glass building. It’s not as big as the skyscrapers in his beloved New York, but it was fairly wide and wide. The center of the building had an obtuse angel, covered in glass and windows. Both sides slanted down to other large doors big enough for Roman Gods to walk through. To Peter, it reminded him of the S.H.E.I.L.D. Building his class went to two years ago, and it was a mixture of the Opera House in Sydney. The morning sun hit the top like in the movies do for a church scene. Peter thought it was a bittersweet touch for the building.

A woman in a dark blue blouse with bright gold bottoms, a business skirt, her legs covered by black think fish net leggings, and black flats with a black bow at the end welcomed the group, her hands behind her back. Her faded black curls matched her dark skin and eyes, but her eyes were light and respectful. She wore small golden orbs for earrings. They were respectful to his eyes, and they glimmered in the morning sun. She has large hips for her black skirt, but it didn’t bother Peter—it showed she has a kid.

“Good morning, children,” she addressed formally, her voice smooth and at toned. “On behave of my team and Base Atlanta, we welcome you and hope you enjoy your tour on base. I’m Captain Debra Dawn, leader of Mission Atlanta and part of command. Today, you address me as ‘Ms. Dawn’. I will be giving the tour today.” She smiled politely at the group, stepping aside, saying, “Come along. There are tags on the table for you to wear.”

As the group walked, Peter stood still. He’s seen her before… somewhere, but he didn’t remember. Jesse’s hand tugged him along as they walked with the group, an uneasy feeling building up in the back of his mind.

 

 ** _Holy Hell, Abigale,_** Lasher breathed. **_It’s her—from that trippy dream._**

Abigale rolled her eyes. _No, it’s not her._

 ** _But it_** **sounds _like her!_** They pointed out.

After waking up from a dream where they helped Spider-Man build a sonic motor, and meeting Venom, a weird feeling followed them. They felt like it was real—all of it. There was attack on New York by another version of Flash, and this person was bad news. He could time travel, and the only way to stop was by this motor. Then Peter Parker said he is Spider-Man. That’s a dream. There is no way that Spider-Man is a wimpy noddle like Parker!

She shrugged as they pinned their tag. _It’s not her. There is no way it’s her._

**_But it could be her!_ **

Jesse made eye contact with her friend and beckoned her to come. She was close to Ms. Dawn when she said, her hands motioning as she spoke, “This is Abigale, ma’am. Will it be alright if I walk close with you to translate for her?”

A slight grin and a nod, saying, “Yes,” Jesse’s hands motioned for her, “that’ll be fine.”

Abigale’s hands moved, Jesse saying for her, “She says ‘Thank you. I know I will enjoy the tour, Ms. Dawn.’.”

Ms. Dawn left respectfully to the head of the group, the girls falling behind, both excited for the adventure.

 

“…and this plane, if your remember from the NYC Attack years ago, was one of the planes that shot one of the missiles that day. I was in the command room when—” Ms. Dawn stopped suddenly between the planes and rocket wings. She already showed them the hanger, and this is the las piece before they head to the control room. Between the isles, she saw a small child—her daughter—looking up at a broken helicopter that was part of a… tornado in Arizona. Her puffy black curls were thrown into two balls fluff, one both sides of her head. Pink strips over a white shirt and jean shorts. It must be her favorite shirt, the Hello Kitty shirt. Ms. Dawn looked back at the group then at her daughter. “Elizabeth?” She cooed.

Her mother’s voice startled Lizzy, looking over her shoulder, holding her stuffed turtle, Mr. Turtle, in her hands. Smiling happily, she sped to her mother, her shoes lighting up with every step. She wanted to run, but her mother told her never run in the hanger. It’s too dangerous for someone her size.

“Hi, Mama,” she beamed up at her mother. She stood by her mother’s side and kept looking up at her then to the group, waving. “I was looking at the cool helicopter over there,” she pointed at the exhibit, then saying to the group, “Captain Davis says that it was in the middle of a space thing between large, iron giants. Can you imagine that? Iron giants fighting each other over a little cup? Captain Davis says that the helicopter can turn into one of those iron giants. I don’t believe him, but I think it’s a cool story to hear. And,” she looked back at the black helicopter, “I like the helicopter.”   

Ms. Dawn’s face relaxed from a commander’s soul to a mother’s eyes on a dime. “Everyone, this is my daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, say ‘hello’.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said to her mother. “Hi,” she said with a bright smile, turning to the group. “I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me Lizzy.” She held up her turtle, showing it to the group. “This is Mr. Turtle. He’s a good turtle. His shell’s hurt, but Mama said that she can fix it; that’s why there’s a Band-Aid over his shell.” She gave a toothy smile, showing off her missing top teeth and pearly whites.

 ** _For our short time here, we’re going to protect her,_** Lasher said to their host.

 _Yeah,_ she agreed. _Anything bigger than a squirrel could hurt her._

 _Holy shit,_ Peter thought. _That’s the girl from my dream!_

 _It’s the kid!_ Flash and Jesse thought, one excited and the other terrified.

She looked up at her mother, saying, “I’m sorry that I left your office, Mama. I had a scary dream and I didn’t want to be there anymore.” She said, stealing every heart in the room. “So, I came here.” She rocked back and forth on her heels, happily.

Ms. Dawn looked back at the group then at her daughter. “Excuse us, please,” she took her daughter’s hand took several steps forward. Placing her hands on her knees, she matched her daughter’s height. “Sweetie?”

“Yeah?”

“For the future, always stay in my office, okay? I don’t want you to roam freely, okay? You may join the group, but don’t tell any ‘Captain Davis Stories’.”

“Why?” Lizzy inquired.

“Because those stories belong to you and Captain Davis.”

Lizzy blinked, her mind processing the order. “Like… it’s my hidden treasure?”

Ms. Dawn nodded her head, “Yes, sweetie, just like that.” She sat up and took Lizzy’s hand again. “We’re heading to your favorite room next. If you behave on the walk there, I will allow you to show them how the radio connections work; sounds fair?”

Lizzy gave a serious nod. “Sounds fair,” she agreed. They joined the group and held them to the room.

The room is like any other base or air flight center. There are three short rows of computers, each with seven screens and key boards. The top row is a row with no computers, but there are T.V. monitors and a hand full of rolling chairs and another door to her mother’s office. Along the back walk, a long, black table sits, holding headsets, phones, and switchboards for the monitors and phone lines. There’s a black, metal railing for a person to lean against to look at the computers below. In front of the rows is a large white screen to see what happening. There are three steps for each level, which are big and evenly spaced, nine total from top to bottom. Ms. Dawn took the group in on the upper level, using the door on the left as she finished saying, “And that’s why the base banned bananas and peanut butter.”

She turned on the lights for the group to see better, saying, “This is where the magic happens. Here, this is where my team execute missions and orders on the battleground and for the Avenger Team. We are what you call the eyes in the sky, land, and water.” She walks over to the switchboards and grasps a headset. “Lizzy, darling,” she handed her daughter the headset. “Do your work.”

Lizzy nodded in response, saying to the group. “It’s easy, really.” She went to a phone and connected the cord. “First, connect the cord. Once you hear a _click_ sound, you dial the number for whoever you need to talk to. If you want to talk to them on the big screen, you can, but I don’t know how to do that. Anyways,” she placed her turtle down and faced her Mama, “can you reach the top one, please? I’m too short.” Her mother did. “Thank you.”

“Who are you calling?” She asked.

“Captain Davis,” she said sweetly. “I wanna know if he got his box yet.”

“Maybe later, honey,” she said. “But if you were to make a phone call, how would it go?”

Lizzy explained it as quickly and painlessly as possible, pointing at the wires that connects to the T.V. and switchboards. “It’s a lot of wires running all at once, so, no one is a loud to plug their phone charger because it could cause a power-outage. I know this because I did that.” She unhooked the cords and slid off the table carelessly. “Mama? Can I get a drink of water from the hall? I’m thirst.”

Before Ms. Dawn could excuse herself, Jesse raised her hand politely, saying, “I saw it in the hall—I can walk her there and back.”

“I can go with them,” Peter said confidently. “To travel in packs, ya know?”

Ms. Dawn studied—more like _judged_ if you asked Lizzy—the two students. “Alright,” she said, her tone even and stern like any protective mother. “Then come straight back. No wondering.”

Lizzy couldn’t explain why she trusted the two. When she first saw them, she felt… No, no. That can’t be right. She didn’t know them—but, the boy’s voice. She never forgets faces or voices. She’s heard that voice before from… somewhere. She followed the girl and boy down the hall towards the drinking fountain as her mind traced back. The feeling was neutral with Peter. He sworn he’s seen her before. She’s not from New York, and he didn’t see her at the airport. Where did they meet? He’s seen her face and heard her voice, but can’t recall.

Allowing Jesse to hold her turtle, she got a drink. “Thank you,” she said after three seconds passed, taking beck her turtle. “I never let others touch Mr. Turtle, but you’re special; I trust you.”

Jesse smiled down at her. “I’m Jesse, by the way.” She nodded her head back at the boy. “And, this, is Peter.”

“‘Peter’?” Lizzy repeated, letting the name sink in. “What’s your last name, if you don’t mind.”

Peter rocked on his heels as they turned to head back to the group. “Parker. Peter Parker.”

It was as if a lighting struck a car. There was a burst, a quick and sudden burst from wind in the Artic. It swept around her feet and traveled up, twisting and turning. The dream. That dream. It all happened, and she stopped it before it could get worst. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, looking up at Peter. A sad grin fell on her lips as she asked, “Do you remember me?” She didn’t know why she was hopeful; she didn’t want to be forgotten like Mr. Flash.

Peter studied her carefully then felt the cloud lift over his eyes. He did. He does remember her and her turtle. He relaxed his shoulders as he bended down on a knee. Jesse was watching curiously. “Lizzy?” He asked lightly, afraid. “Promise? Promise you tell anyone?”

She nodded her head.

He’s Spider-Man from the other timeline, that timeline. 

“I promise,” she said. “You won’t tell either, yeah?”

“Tell what?” Jesse asked.

But she was annoyed. “I wouldn’t,” he said. “Besides, who would believe us?’

“Those who saw me last,” she answered carefully. “Like the Green Spider-Man and Mr. Monster.”

He nodded in agreement. “Keep it between us?” He held out a pinkie.

She hooked hers around. “To the grave and back.”


	38. Happier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's star over, shall we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to "Happier" to set the mood.

Eddie parked his bike next to a school bus before he walked into the building. “Okay,” he said, “this is a ‘ _me_ ’ thing, not a ‘ _we_ ’ thing. Got it?”

 ** _Fine, fine,_** Venom answered annoyed. **_Don’t be long._** There were rules they follow when Eddie does an interview with others. If they stay quiet and behaved, Eddie would allow them to take over and hunt that night. Eddie is getting used to their hunts, but he couldn’t get over the after taste of a human liver and eyes.

Jason knows what they do. He knows they hunt humans, _people_. He learned about his boyfriend being this when he was in New York, where he use to work, and meet them. At first, he thought it was going to be quick fling, but that “fling” turned into a real thing by moving to his apartment. Working in California was perk, but living with him was another. Of course, Venom is an addition to their relationship. Meeting them was a day. A shooting at 7-11, and Venom eating the shooter. He remembers that day because Jason was shot in the center of his chest. He should be dead, and he was okay with dying, but saved by them. Kinda freaked out at first, but felt okay at the end. Now a days, he tries to answer Venom’s questions about his mental state and why he—

Eddie didn’t want to think about that. He was in the hospital last week, again, about his arm. Each cut is deeper than the last, and last week could’ve been it if Eddie didn’t leave work early. He found Jason couch with the blade on the floor next to him. He panicked when they called the hospital instead of healing him. All that Eddie knew was he needed to get Jason help because this is the third one this month. After that, the doctors kept him overnight at Eddie’s request because, when they got home, he found all the sharp objects—from his razer in the bathroom to the carving knife in the kitchen—and locked them in a drawer. The key to the lock? Floating safely around in Venom. How the key hasn’t dissolved yet still amazes Eddie. Jason is supposed to be in therapy, but Eddie knows he’s been skipping and spending time at work. He tried to have him talk about his sister’s death, but he changes the topic or says nothing.

Venom tries to help like asking questions about New York or about odd questions like cheese blocks and ice cream: What’s the difference? If it’s a bad day, and Jason is sleeping against them on the couch, Venom would appear and wrap around Jason like a blanket. Once, Venom covered his arms to ease the pain, mainly to stop Jason from cutting. The night he when he came home and they were sleeping, Venom refused to leave Jason’s arm alone, acting like a sweatshirt. A week later, Jason grew comfortable with Venom hanging around him.

Eddie grasped the handle and pushed the door opened. There was a woman rounding the corner with a group of kids, finishing her tour. “Thank you again for coming to the base. I hope this changes some minds to join the military, mainly the National Guard and Marine.” Her eyes met his. “Now, if you have any questions, please ask Sergeant Brandon. Thank you.” She left the group and approached Eddie, her shoulders squared and back straight. “Mr. Brock,” she held out a hand and he took it. He felt underdressed in his Navy blue shirt and black jean.

“Commander Dawn,” he said, matching her tone. “It’s an honor meeting you.”

She gave a kind grin. “Oh, please—you can call me Ms. Dawn.” She let go of his hand. “The honor’s all mine. You give my buddies something to look forward to at the bar at six. Your stories makes a difference around here.” She stepped aside and gestured forward. “Shall we?”

 ** _Eddie,_** Venom sounded excited after digging through memories. **_Jesse and Flash on our right._**

Eddie looked and spotted Flash in the crowd. On que, Flash glanced over his shoulder seeing them. He waved at them then held up his phone. Eddie nodded in response as they continued their walk. He hasn’t seen Flash in years. _I wonder if Jesse’s with him._ He’ll talk to him after the interview so they could meet up again. It’s been so long since they saw each other.

“You know him?” Asked the commander.

“Yeah,” he said, “that’s my nephew, Eugene. I’m hoping his sister is here with him so we could hang out later. I haven’t seen them in such a long time, ma’am.”

“Family is important here,” she said, agreeing. “You can put that on record, too.”

 _She seems pretty cool._ “So, Ms. Dawn, you can say that all are welcomed at Atlanta Base?” From his back pocket he pulled out a notebook.

She cocked an eye, confused. “I thought we were going to talk about the new building opening on the base?”

“We are—just a side story to give the reader an idea of the place if they ever want to work here.”

She’s watched his show enough to know his off questions. “Of course. Yes, all race, sex, gender, and backgrounds are welcome.” They rounded a cornered as they headed to her front office door. “Of course, we look at the background and test scores, but all are welcomed to work here.”

“The family thing?” Eddie asked glancing up at her as he scribbled down notes. “Everyone gets along if they play well then?”

She nodded her head. “It like blood family. If you play well with your cousins and siblings, then you can make it here. Follow the rules and you’ll make it just fine.” She opened the door to her office and let him go in first. “If you don’t follow the rules and don’t play well, then you either have a talk from the Board or terminated.”

“What does ‘terminated’ mean?”

The little girl’s innocent question startled Eddie and Ms. Dawn. Sitting behind the desk in the wheelie chair was a smaller version of Ms. Dawn, but she has big, wondering eyes and fluffy black curls.   

Ms. Dawn asked, “Honey, I thought I told you to wait in the control room?”

“I know,” the little girl answer, her voice light and sweet. An unsettling feeling wrapped around Eddie. He knows this girl, he remembers her from somewhere. “But I need light to do my spelling words.” She looked at Eddie, saying, “I’m too short to reach the light switch without climbing the chair. Captain Davis says I’m not allow to climb on the wheelie chair because I could fall.” In her hand, a pink Hello Kitty pencil started to scribble on the paper. “How do you spell ‘understandable’?”

With spiking a beat, Eddie spelled the word. “Understandable. U-N-D-E-R-S-T-A-N-D-A-B-L-E.” He pulled a chair and took his pen to her paper. “You can remember it by the words. Find the words within the word. For example, the word ‘under’ is first thing you hear. Then—I’m assuming you know how to spell ‘stand’—comes after. When you connect the words,” he made a ‘U’ hook for the words to show there’s a connection, “you spell?”

“‘Understand’?”

“Yeah,” he said grinning. “Very good, kiddo.” He took the end of his pen and wrote ‘able’ at the end. “The word ‘able’ can good at the end of action verbs—I think that’s what they’re called, maybe adverbs? Don’t know. You can do these task like ‘understand’ things or ‘advise’ people along with ‘walk’ and ‘live’. You can at the word ‘able’ at the end to make it in use, you know?” Seeing the girl closer, his grin fell. “Have,” he said, fiddling with his pen. “Have we met before?”

Lizzy studied the man, puzzled yet confident. “Mama says I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.”

He placed his pen down and extended their hand. “I’m Eddie, Eddie Brock.”

It felt like cloud lifting over her eyes. She could see the missing face in her dream, and she could see the secret monster under his skin. Flashes of memories of countless nights of him helping her learn how to spell and read and write ran like a movie. His careful and kind eyes came back to her, and the walks home to a cozy apartment came back. There was the missing part of her dream, of the other timeline, and of the life only a few remembers. If things were to be met by Fate and sworn in by Time, the whole world would spin easily, and Life and Death would have a better dance. This isn’t how the world works, no; but it’s a good place for them to start. She can rehear his stories, meet Venom once more, and finally have a family. She’ll have that father figure again—all she has to do is start over.

“Elizabeth Dawn—but you can call me Lizzy.” Then she held up her turtle like she did before. "This is Mr. Turtle, my best buddy."

"How do you do, Mr. Turtle?" Eddie asked formally, acting as if her turtle was a king. It's silly to think that, but her turtle is greater than anything in this world, and she was willing to prove it to anyone who doubts it.  

Lizzy put her ear against Mr. Turtle's head and listened. "He says 'It goes well under this shell'."

She saw his hand still out, waiting for her to grasp it. She smiled warmly at his large hand. One day, she'll tell him. One day she will, but—for now—this is a good start for her, for them. 

Happily, she took his hand and nodded seriously.


	39. Author's Note

AND IT’S DONE!!!!

I finished it! I’ve never been more prouder in my life for sharing a story with other people who somehow learned to love it. Thank you so much for reading this story. I hope it didn’t drag on long for your liking, but it had of been worth it, right? All in all, thank you for your time, and I look forward to writing another one (if you want) in the future! I’ll try to do better at posting and keeping a good schedule this time.

Also, as a person who loves finding symbols and themes, did you find out why Mr. Turtle is so important to Lizzy? And what about Mr. Flash's powers? Did you find the little clues behind Mr. Russo's shop? 

Can't wait to write some more in the future!

 

With love,

#1120     

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was fun, huh? Like, thanks for reading! It'll get better, I promise.


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